Naruto: Rise of the Emperor Revised
by Snafu the Great
Summary: An alt. version of Naruto: Emperor's Dawn. Naruto and Hinata Namikaze are the Emperor and Empress of the West. As Konoha faces destruction, can they put aside their mistrust of the Leaf and aid them...or will they let Konoha burn? Story complete.
1. Naruto and Hinata's Bio and the Stats

**Naruto: Rise of the Emperor Revised**  
>A Naruto Fanfiction<br>Original Story 'Naruto: Emperor's Dawn' by ChrisM2011  
>By Snafu the Great<p>

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. Now, when I did Two on Two, I said that fanfic would be my only Naruto fanfic. But this fanfic was so damn good and at the time the author was not updating as much, and with his permission, decided to write this as a alternative piece to his story. Originally, I had the first three chapters written out, but after how I saw how much it was looking like ChrisM2011's version in some cases, so I decided to start from scratch (Chapter 2 is still mostly intact). Rather than have Hinata defect from the Leaf mid-story, she is with Naruto from the start. How is explained.

Also, the major twists I had in the original story still apply - Nagato is not of the Uzumaki clan, but rather Yahiko. And as you read, the Akatsuki invade Suna, rather than Konoha. Second, Sakura and most of the Hyuuga are hostile (haven't decided what to do with Neji, but Hiashi and Hanabi are definitely hostile).

About the Western Empire: Picture the Galbadian and Centra Continents (with islands) from Final Fantasy 8 and you got the Western Empire. The north continent is known as the Northern Region (with the city of Kimon as the Imperial Capital) and the south continent known as the Southern Region. Originally, I thought about using a much bigger landmass, but decided against it. I wanted the Unified West to be much more compact.

UPDATE: All of the grammar has been corrected.

**FILE: NAMIKAZE, Naruto**

**Classification:** Jinchuuriki (formerly); Warlord (formerly); Emperor  
><strong>Clan:<strong> Uzumaki-Namikaze  
><strong>Official Title:<strong> First Sovereign Emperor of the Unified West, His Imperial Majesty, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze  
><strong>Nicknames:<strong> The Maverick Emperor, The Crimson Fury of the Empire, The Man in Black, Akatsuki Killer, The Boss, The Chief, Lord Namikaze  
><strong>Full Name:<strong> Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze  
><strong>Alignment:<strong> Konohagakure no Sato (formerly); Western Empire  
><strong>Date of BirthAge:** October 10/20 years old  
><strong>Place of Birth:<strong> Konohagakure no Sato, Fire Country  
><strong>Height:<strong> 6'  
><strong>Weight:<strong> 190 lbs  
><strong>Hair:<strong> Reddish-Blonde  
><strong>Eyes:<strong> Blue (normal); Golden - pupils stay normal (Fox Eye)  
><strong>Blood Type:<strong> B  
><strong>Parents:<strong> Minato Namikaze, father (deceased); Kushinna Uzumaki-Namikaze, mother (deceased)  
><strong>Spouse:<strong> Hinata Namikaze  
><strong>Other Relatives:<strong> Jiraiya, godfather (estranged), Tsunade Senju, godmother (estranged)  
><strong>Elemental Affinity:<strong> Wind and Fire  
><strong>Bloodline:<strong> Fox Eye  
><strong>Summons:<strong> None  
><strong>Signature Weapons:<strong> O-katana (Naruto's primary weapon - think Vergil's Yamato sword), Hirashin kunai (both the classic tri-bladed and the all-black kunai with the Hirashin seals carved into the blade). Naruto came across the sword by accident while returning from a successful campaign. It is because of this that gets Naruto interested in learning samurai swordsmanship. The sword has the ability to split into two seperate swords (ala Doku's Kitesu), of which Naruto can wield with deadly efficiency.  
><strong>Primary Costume:<strong> Modeled after Shang Tsung in the 1st MK flick - white shirt, black vest, pants, longcoat and boots. Also wears a all-black kage-style hat or bandanna with face mask to conceal his identity while traveling abroad.  
><strong>Secondary Costume:<strong> Black flak vest, pants and shoes.  
><strong>Specialty:<strong> Funijutsu and Taijutsu  
><strong>Place of Residence:<strong> Imperial Palace, Kimon (the Imperial Capital); Imperial Summer Palace at South Ichiyama  
><strong>Background:<strong>  
>- Age 0: Became the jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails<br>- Age 6: Enrolls into the Konohagakure Ninja Academy  
>- Age 12: Graduates with the rank of Genin, assigned to Team 7 with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. Banished from Konoha following the success of the Sasuke Retrieval Mission.<br>Mission. Escapes from Fire Country and heads west. Rescues Kumo kunoichi/jinchuuriki Yugito Nii from the Akatsuki and heads for the Western Continent.  
>- Age 13: Kills the most powerful of the warlords, Rokubungi Oda and takes control of his forces. Begins a campaign to unify the continent and bring about peace. Former Mist swordsman Zabuza Momichi and his partner Haku join Naruto's growing army.<br>- Age 14: Frees the Kyuubi no Kitsune from the seal, and begins to train under her. Later trains under Sonshi in samurai swordsmanship and politics.  
>- Age 15: Defeats the last three warlords, thus ending the Unification Wars. With the backing of his army and the people, Naruto is made Emperor of the Western Empire.<br>- Age 16: Summons Kazekage Gaara of the Sand and Mizukage Mei Terumi for a secret summit. The three leaders sign a military and trade alliance. Later trains Suna genin Maru Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon at the Kazakage's request for the Chuunin Exams. Later grants Kumo jinchuuriki Killer Bee political asylum in the Empire, along with his brother A, the deposed Raikage, having been overthrown by a Oto-backed Raikage. A serves as one of his senior advisors, while Bee...is still Bee  
>- Age 17: Rescues Asuma Sarutobi from Akatsuki members Hidan and Kazuku. Hidan and Kazuku are both killed (in truth, this was inadvertently, as Naruto simply avenged the death of the warrior monk Chiriku, who had offered him shelter in light of his banishment). This also leads to several confrontations with Konoha ninja. Rescues renegade Akatsuki founder Yahiko and the deposed Amekage Konan from Nagato, who later serve as his part of his Elite Guards. When the Akatsuki resumes their efforts to capture the jinchuuriki, he tracks down the majority of the jinchuuriki (Roshi, Han, Utakata and Fu) and protects them from the Akatsuki by offering them asylum within the Empire. At the conclusion of the Chuunin Exams, Naruto grants Hinata Hyuuga political asylum within the Empire.<br>- Age 18: Marries Hinata Hyuuga in a private ceremony. Assists Suna in the war against the Akatsuki led by Pein and Madara Uchiha. With the jinchuuriki backing him up as well as the Nine-Tails and a sizable amount of soldiers, Madara and Itachi Uchiha are killed, and the Akatsuki are routed and destroyed. The jinchuuriki are declared national treasures of the Empire.  
><strong>Trained By:<strong>  
>- Kitami Akashiya - Nine-Tails (Leadership and battle tactics, Taijitsu, Seals and Ninjitsu)<br>- Zabuza Momichi (Mist-style swordsmanship)  
>- Sonshi (Samurai swordsmanship, battle tactics, and Political Intrigue)<br>**Favorite Food:** Ramen, barbecue  
><strong>Likes:<strong> Helping people  
><strong>Dislikes:<strong> Konoha in general, Sasuke Uchiha, Orochimaru  
><strong>Fighting Style:<strong> Kitsune-style Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, Uzumaki-Namikaze-style Fuinjutsu and Taijutsu (think Krav Maga, Keysi Fighting Method and Karate combined), and a combination of ninja and samurai swordsmanship  
><strong>Allies:<strong>  
>- Spring Damiyo Yukie Fujikaze<br>- Mizukage Mei Terumi  
>- Kazakage Gaara of the Sand<br>- Yugito Nii  
>- A and Killer Bee<br>- Roshi and Han  
>- Fu and Utakata<br>- Zabuza Momichi  
>- Haku Momichi<br>- Team Misfits (Maru Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon)  
>- Konan and Yahiko<br>**Signature Techniques:**  
>- Enhanced Strength and Agility (stronger than Tsunade, faster than Rock Lee without the weights)<br>- Flying Thunder God and Flash Step  
>- Kage Bushin (Standard and Exploding - when used with the Fox Eye activated, the clones assume the form of Naruto's opponents)<br>- Ninja Centerfold (Sexy Jutsu)  
>- Ninja Harem<br>- Rasengan and its variants, particularly the Rasenshuriken (both Wind and Fire variants)  
>- Chakra Chains (based on his mother's attack - used to sap the opponent's chakra to the point that they are severely weakened)<br>- Uzumaki Formation and Combo (alt. name: Emperor's Wrath)  
>- Revised 1000 Years of Pain (i.e., his foot in the offending person's ass - used on Kakashi Hatake)<br>- Deadly Tempest (similar to Temari's Kamitachi, only he blasts the opponent with supercooled or superheated air)  
>- Chakra Wind Blades (deadly wind-laced chakra blades that can dismember flesh and destroy nearly anything in its path)<br>- Spinning Izuna Drop  
>- Shadow Dancer (think Wesker's Phantom Dance...on crystal meth)<br>- Summoning: Impure World Resurrection (rarely uses this technique - his variant is much more effective than Orochimaru's - used during the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna in which Naruto summoned the deceased Hidan and Kazuku, as well as the Uchiha Clan)  
>- Demon's Gate (Used to open a massive portal from the Empire to an area of his choosing)<br>**Has Defeated/Killed (post-Konoha):**  
>- Killed Kumon Warlord Rokunbungi Oda, and countless other warlords in the Unification War<br>- Killed Akatsuki members Hidan and Kazuku (in revenge for killing the monk Chiriku, while at the same time inadvertently saving Asuma Sarutobi's life)  
>- Defeated Shikamaru Nara, Chouji Akamichi and Ino Yamanaka (shortly after killing Hidan and Kazuku)<br>- Defeated Danzou Shimura, Sai and 10 ROOT ANBU (following Chiriku's funeral - the other 10 ROOT were decimated by his Elite Guard)  
>- Defeated Shikaku Nara, Chouza Akamichi and Inochi Yamanaka (while visiting Spring Damyou Fujikaze in Spring Country)<br>- Defeated Rock Lee, Tenten and Neji Hyuuga (while in Tea Country supporting one of his Elite Guards, who was competing in a tournament)  
>- Defeated Tsume Inuzuka, Kiba Inuzuka and Kakashi Hatake (while in Hot Water Country, all three with somewhat extreme prejudice)<br>- Defeated Anko Mitarashi, Hiashi Hyuuga and Maito Gai (while on a personal expedition to the ruins of Whirlpool Country)  
>- Defeated Akatsuki members Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki (near the Lightning border)<br>- Defeated Sasuke Uchiha (during the Chuunin Exams, which were hosted in Suna, while Sakura Haruno watched)  
>- Killed Itachi Uchiha (during the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna)<br>- Killed Nagato (during the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna)  
><strong>Stats:<strong>  
>- Ninjutsu: 5<br>- Taijitsu: 5  
>- Genjutsu: 5 (can't cast genjutsu, but his henge is undetectable)<br>- Intelligence: 5  
>- Strength: 5<br>- Speed: 5  
>- Stamina: 5<br>- Hand-seals: 5  
>- Total: 40<br>**Occupation:** Konoha shinobi (formerly); Warlord (formerly); Emperor of the West

**FILE: NAMIKAZE, Hinata**

**Classification:** Chuunin (formerly), Sage, Empress  
><strong>Clan:<strong> Hyuuga (formerly - abandoned her clan), Uzumaki-Namikaze  
><strong>Official Title:<strong> Her Imperial Highness, Empress Consort Hinata Namikaze  
><strong>Nicknames:<strong> Hime (Naruto only), Lady Hinata/Lady Namikaze (to others), Hime no Kitsune (Princess of Foxes)  
><strong>Full Name:<strong> Hinata Namikaze (née, Hyuuga)  
><strong>Alignment:<strong> Konohagakure no Sato (formerly - abandoned the village); Western Empire  
><strong>Date of Birth:<strong> December 27/20 years old  
><strong>Place of Birth:<strong> Konohagakure no Sato, Fire Country  
><strong>Height:<strong> 5'7"  
><strong>Weight:<strong> She's not telling  
><strong>Measurements:<strong> 35-21-33  
><strong>Hair:<strong> Indigo  
><strong>Eyes:<strong> Pupil-less Lavender (normal); Dark Violet (Sage)  
><strong>Parents:<strong> Hiashi Hyuuga, father (disowned), Hanna Hyuuga, mother (deceased)  
><strong>Spouse:<strong> Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze  
><strong>Other Relatives:<strong> Hanabi Hyuuga, younger sister (disowned); Neji Hyuuga, elder cousin (disowned)  
><strong>Elemental Affinity:<strong> Fire Release  
><strong>Bloodline:<strong> Enhanced Bykaugan (White Eye) – allows Hinata to target muscle and bone aside from the chakra points  
><strong>Summons:<strong> Foxes  
><strong>Signature Weapons:<strong> Dual ninjato - originally belonged to the second Fox Sage Kushinna Uzumaki, Senbon Needles, Chakra Chains, Chakra Bullwhip  
><strong>Primary Costume:<strong> Shippuden costume, with only a Jounin flak vest in place of the oversized jacket, no hitai-ate around her neck  
><strong>Secondary Costume:<strong> Various types of chesogam dresses (she hates kimonos and yukatas)  
><strong>Specialty:<strong> Taijutsu, Genjutsu, also a master in diplomatic relations  
><strong>Place of Residence:<strong> Imperial Palace, Kimon (the Imperial Capital); Imperial Summer Palace at South Ichiyama  
><strong>Background:<strong>  
>- Age 6: Enrolled in the Konoha Ninja Academy<br>- Age 12: Graduates from the academy. Assigned to Team 8 with Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame.  
>- Age 14: Promoted to Chuunin<br>- Age 16: Loses her position of heiress to Hanabi Hyuuga, branded with the Caged Bird Seal and placed into the Hyuuga Branch Family.  
>- Age 17: Reunites with Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, freed from the Caged Bird Seal, defects from Konoha and leaves with him to the Western Empire following the Chuunin Exams in Suna. Begins to undergo sage training under Kitami Akashiya. Defeats Hanabi Hyuuga, Neji Hyuuga and Hiashi Hyuuga while on an inspection tour with her husband.<br>- Age 18: Completes Sage training, named Third Fox Sage. Marries Naruto Namikaze in a private ceremony, and is named Empress Consort to the Emperor, her authority second to the Emperor himself. Fights in the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna alongside her husband. Credited with killing rouge Iwa ninja/mad bomber Deidara.  
><strong>Trained By:<strong>  
>- Hiashi Hyuuga (Jyuuken Training)<br>- Kitami Akashiya (Sage and Taijutsu Training - side effect of this training is a major boost in self-confidence)  
>- Naruto Namikaze (Ninjitsu Training)<br>- Sonshi (Political Intrigue)  
><strong>Favorite Food:<strong> Chocolate  
><strong>Likes:<strong> Training with Naruto  
><strong>Dislikes:<strong> Her former family  
><strong>Fighting Styles:<strong> Kin Shiki Kobujutsu (Forbidden Style of Kobujutsu - basically the Hyuuga-ryuu Jyuuken overhauled to remove the flaws and weaknesses, making it more deadly - think Bajiquan and Taichiquan combined), Kitsune-style Taijutsu (think a combination of Wing Chun and Wushu) and Ninjutsu  
><strong>Allies:<strong> Same as her husband  
><strong>Signature Techniques:<strong>  
>- Mystic Palm<br>- Kage Bushin (standard and explosive)  
>- Deadly Tempest (Fire variant - can burn people to a crisp)<br>- Chakra Fire Blades  
>- Deadly Cyclone (think Joe Higashi's Double Cyclone super...with fire-laced tornadoes)<br>- Chakra Yumi (summons a chakra-powered Yumi Bow and fires arrows repeatedly) and Chakra Bullwhip  
>- Enhanced Agility and Senses<br>- Hinata has also mastered the Hyuuga Jyuuken techniques and incorporated them into the Kin Shiki Kobujutsu.  
><strong>Has Defeated and Killed (post-Konoha):<strong>  
>- Defeated 10 Hyuuga Ninja - Main Branch (whilst on an inspection tour of the Pekara Merchant House in Spring Country)<br>- Defeated Neji Hyuuga and Hanabi Hyuuga (shortly afterward)  
>- Defeated members of Konoha's ANBU Black Ops (who were attempting to cash in on the bounty following the defeat of her ex-clansmen in Water Country)<br>- Defeated Sakura Haruno (in Wave Country)  
>- Defeated Hiashi Hyuuga (also in Wave, crippling him with the 128 Palms - payback for the Caged Bird Seal)<br>- Killed Deidara of the Akatsuki (during the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna)  
><strong>Stats:<strong>  
>- Ninjutsu: 5<br>- Taijitsu: 5  
>- Genjutsu: 5<br>- Intelligence: 5  
>- Strength: 4<br>- Speed: 5  
>- Stamina: 5<br>- Hand-seals: 5  
>- Total: 39<br>**Occupation:** Konoha shinobi (formerly), Third Fox Sage, Empress Consort of the Western Empire  
><strong>Bingo Book Status:<strong> A-Ranked missing ninja - orders are to retrieve on sight if possible. Upgraded to S-Rank, following her battle against Hiashi Hyuuga. Also has a personal bounty (20 million ryo) on her head thanks to Hanabi. The bounty was later revoked when Hinata and Naruto had a 80 million ryo bounty on Hanabi's head in retaliation.  
><strong>About the Fox Sage:<strong> Part warrior, part healer, the Fox Sage is truly an elite warrior. As it is that only women can undergo the Sage Training, there are only three sages who held the title, both of which were from the Uzumaki clan (Mito and Kushinna Uzumaki) and the most recent being the wife of the Emperor of the West, Hinata Namikaze.

**Western Empire Stats:**

**Official Name:** Unified Western Empire  
><strong>Landmass:<strong> Think the Galbadia and Centra Continents from Final Fantasy 8 and you got the Western Empire. The northern part is known as the Northern Region, while the south continent and islands is known as the Southern Region  
><strong>Population:<strong> 7 million  
><strong>Capital:<strong> Kimon City, Northern Region (also known as the Imperial Capital)  
><strong>Motto:<strong> "Peace through order and stability."  
><strong>Largest City:<strong> Kurata Port, Northern Region; South Ichiyama, Southern Region  
><strong>Style of Government:<strong> Imperial Government  
><strong>Governing Body:<strong> House of Sovereigns (consisting of a 12-member council, six representatives from the samurai and ninja clans, and six from the nobility and civilians. The designated ambassadors from Suna and Mist also sit in. The Samurai and Ninja clan representatives are permanent members hand-picked by the Emperor himself, while the nobility and civilians are elected by the civilians)  
><strong>Head of State:<strong> Emperor Naruto Namikaze, Empress Consort Hinata Namikaze  
><strong>Chief Prime Minister:<strong> Lady Kitami Akashiya (Kyuubi no Youkou)  
><strong>Founding Document:<strong> Unification Charter (which documents the history of the Uzumaki and Namikaze families, as well as the history of the Unification Wars)  
><strong>Constitution:<strong> Imperial Charter (The Charter establishes the Uzumaki-Namikaze clan as the designated rulers of the Western Empire, as well as granting the Damiyos and Lords relative autonomy over their regions, as long as they acknowledge the Emperor as their ruler and govern the lands fairly and justly. It also establishes the Emperor as the supreme ruler of the Western Empire - with unchecked power.)  
><strong>Military:<strong> Imperial Defense Forces - a combination of battle-hardened Samurai and Ninja. Three black-ops units are under the direct command of the Emperor. They are the Hellcat Unit, an all-female fighting force of ninja and samurai under the command of General Yugito Nii, the Shadow Company, a Mist refugee clan with the ability to bend space under the command of General Hideo Kazuma, and the hard-hitting Demon Brigade, consisting of former Mist ninja under the command of General Zabuza Momichi.  
><strong>Currency:<strong> Ryo  
><strong>Holidays:<strong>  
>- October 10: The Emperor's Birthday<br>- December 27: The Empress Consort's Birthday  
>- June 1 to 12: Unification Festival (celebrating the end of the Unification Wars - June 1 is also the date of Naruto's original banishment)<br>- June 14: Anniversary of the Emperor's Coronation  
>- 1st Day of Spring: Hanami Festival<br>- 1st Week of July: The Imperial Tournaments are held in South Ichiyama (think the chuunin exams tournaments but on a wider scale...and no one dies)


	2. 1 The Emperor and Empress

**Chapter One: The Emperor and Empress of the Unified West**

"Naruto Uzumaki...it is regret that I must inform you that you are hereby banished from Konohagakure no Sato. Your ninja license is hereby revoked and you cannot return to Konohagakure as long as you live. If you appear within the borders of Fire Country...then you will be killed on sight." A blond-haired woman who was hiding under a henge to conceal her true age, while the gathered civilian council members smirked or held looks of satisfaction, while the Shinobi side held looks of disdain.

"You monster! Look what you have done to Sasuke! You demon! I hate you! I wish you were dead!" A pink-haired teenager of twelve.

"You did this to your teammate? You are worse than trash. You are scum." A lazy, aloof sensei.

"You are too troublesome to remain here. You better leave. Almost got killed because of you. Bummer." A lazy slacker with a pineapple-style haircut.

"My mom was right about you! You're nothing but a damn demon! I'll kill you the next time I see you again!" A feral-looking boy with a white puppy, standing next to a feral-looking older woman with a black one-eyed wolf.

"It is most un-youthful to have such a demon in our village! You should leave!" A boy with bush brows dressed in green spandex.

"You lied to me. You were fated to become the Nine-Tails. There is no way one can escape fate. Never show your face here again, or I will kill you." A boy with cold pupil-less lavender eyes.

"Before you go...please know that I love you. I always loved you." A girl with the same eyes as her cousin.

Blue eyes snapped open. After a moment, he realized that he was in his bedroom, on his side, his body pressed up against his wife's backside, one arm around her torso. His spacious bedroom, a stack contrast as to his old bedroom back in Konoha.

Konoha. That was one place that he would rather not think about. Come to think about it, it was eight years today that he was banished from his home, back when he was a boisterous, loudmouthed genin. Back when his major desire was simply to become Hokage and to earn the respect of the village. He chuckled at the irony. He was not the Fire Shadow of Konoha. No, he was much bigger.

The Emperor of the Western Empire.

With a groan, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze assumed a seated position in the king-sized bed. It was safe to say that in the seven years following his banishment, that he had changed. Twenty years old, and with a wiry, muscular frame which hid his true strength well. Standing at six feet tall with unruly reddish-blond hair, the whisker-like marks gone from his face, he was the spitting image of his father, Minato Namikaze, but had his mother's trademark temper when roused.

It all began eight years ago, in the aftermath of the mission to retrieve his former teammate Sasuke Uchiha from his attempted defection to Orochimaru. Despite suffering numerous injuries in the ensuing battle, including a Chidori to the lung, Naruto was successful in bringing Sasuke back to Konoha. However, it was while he was recovering, that sinister events were underway. The Konoha Council, which made up of the shinobi clan heads and the influential civilian clan and business leaders, had charged him with assaulting a fellow Konoha Ninja and assaulting the last of the Uchiha clan, while conveniently overlooking the fact that Sasuke had attempted to defect from Konoha.

The warhawk, Danzou Shimura, Konoha Mercantile Guild head Asana Haruno, Hyuuga Clan Head Hiashi Hyuuga, and the two senior advisers Koharu Utane and Honmura Mitokado spearheaded the assault. Within hours, the council had overrode Tsunade and had declared Naruto guilty. Tsunade, however was able to keep Naruto from being executed, but his reward for doing his job was a lifetime banishment from Konoha, of which the entire council has backed. Desperate for the younger generation to see that Naruto was a hero, Tsunade had told them about the circumstances of his birth, of how the Yondaime had sealed the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit inside his body.

Unfortunately, that backfired.

Naruto's teammates from Sakura Haruno to Shikamaru Nara instead saw him as the Nine-Tails reborn. Especially Sakura, who had called for Naruto's execution, both for beating Sasuke down and for being the container to the Nine-Tails. Iruka Umino was among those who had forsaken him, as was his sensei, Kakashi Hatake. Kiba Inuzuka and his mother, Tsume both threatened to kill him should they ever see him again, as did Neji Hyuuga. Even Tsunade was annoyed with Naruto's pestering about Sasuke's well-being despite being injured himself, and Jiraya was nowhere to be seen. The only people who supported him were the Konohamaru Corps - Konohamaru Sarutobi, grandson to the late Hiruzen Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon - the ramen shop owner Teuchi and his daughter Ayane, and Hinata Hyuuga, who finally mustered the courage to tell him her feelings before being 'escorted' by Maito Gai and Asuma Sarutobi to the city gates.

Banishment would have destroyed anyone weaker. But Naruto Uzumaki proved to be strong. While staying overnight inside a temple as a guest of the warrior monk Chiriku, it had taken his banishment to see that Konoha would never accept him, not matter what he had done. He had helped in defending Konoha from the joint Sand-Sound Invasion which was spearheaded by Orochimaru, and even brought back the Slug Sage so she could take over the post of Hokage. In the end, the dream of being Hokage was just as that - a dream.

In an ironic twist, Naruto realized that Konoha was holding him back from reaching his true potential, as what Sasuke had said to him before their battle at the Valley of the End. Everyone saw Naruto as a dead-last with no clan. But that was merely a mask. Naruto simply hid under the guise of a knuckleheaded ninja in order to keep the villagers at bay, and for good reason. Had he dropped his mask and showed that he could outdo even Sasuke Uchiha, the villagers would scream that it was the fox instead of accepting the fact that it was just hard work and out comes the torches and pitchforks.

Suspecting that the warhawk would send his ROOT forces after him, Naruto decided to head east towards Lightning Country while sending a clone towards Wind Country after leaving Chiriku. Add the fact that the Akatsuki had caught wind of his banishment, Itachi Uchiha and his partner Kisame Hoshigaki were hot on his tail.

Thankfully, the Root Anbu proved to be excellent fodder as Naruto gave both parties the slip as they fought each other.

It was while trying to catch his breath in Kumo, that he ran into his first ally.

Yugito Nii, jinchuuriki of the Nibi, the Two-Tailed Monster Cat.

Pursued by Akatsuki members Hidan and Kazuku in Kumo's sewers, Yugito would have surely lost had it not been for Naruto and several shadow clones littered with exploding tags which had seperated both her and the Akatsuki pursuing her. As it turned out, Yugito had been sold out by the Kumogakure Council without knowledge by either the Raikage and his brother in an attempt to keep the self-proclaimed 'Zombie Brothers' from destroying Kumo.

Disillusioned and betrayed, Yugito decided to join up with Naruto. Several days later, after arriving in Wave Country, Naruto received another surprise while staying overnight with Tazuma and his family.

The Forbidden Scroll of Sealing, as well as his heritage.

To say that Naruto was shocked was an understatement. It also reinforced his hatred towards Konoha, since they had banished the only son of Minato Namikaze, the village hero and former Whirlpool ruler and seal master Kushinna Uzumaki-Namikaze, nicknamed the 'Crimson Fury' and the 'Hot-blooded Habanero' for both her red hair and her trademark temper. His family was also loaded, as the accounts in Tea Country had proven. The Uzumaki clan was also related to the famed Senju clan, of which Tsunade was a part of. It was shortly thereafter that Naruto had adopted the family name of his father, thus becoming Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. Since things were a bit hot for both jinchuuriki, Naruto and Yugito both boarded a boat from Tea Country and headed for the West.

As long as anyone could remember, the northern and southern halves of the West - from the imposing Lahja Mountains to the north to Tears' Point to the south - were locked in a constant state of war. Power-hungry warlords and Damiyos sought to control the lands by any means. Whenever two sides clashed, the fields ran red with blood. The weaker Damiyos were either overrun or killed outright. Even worse, whenever a warlord was killed, another would take their place in the ensuing power vacuum.

Naruto and Yugito were both in Kimon when he got into a fight with several of the local warlord's men. The five brutes were attempting to rape a helpless woman one night, as she had been caught outside of the mandatory curfew ordered by the warlord. The warlord, one Rokunbungi Oda, was the strongest of the warlords, as he had the most territory. Simply put, given the way he had ruthlessly oppressed the people in his territory, he made Gato look like a saint. Knowing full well that Oda would soon come for him, since he had killed his men, Naruto took the fight to him.

Naruto, along with Yugito and a number of shadow clones, invaded Oda's castle. Complacent in his superiority, Oda had underestimated the former Konoha genin and had paid for it with his life.

With Oda dead by his hand, Naruto had gained an ambition. The people were suffering, civilian, ninja and samurai alike. With Oda's death, Naruto had also gained his land, which consisted of the soon-to-be Imperial Capital and all of the Kinkri region. After consulting Yugito and the Kyuubi about it, Naruto decided on a course of action: unify the lands and bring peace to the people. He had spent the first three months consolidating his power base in Kumon, which would soon become the Capital of the Western Empire. Samurai and Ninja flocked to his side in droves as Naruto lured them in with both his fighting prowess and his charismatic personality, promising them peace for the first time since the era of the Six Paths Sage.

With that, the Unification War had begun.

The more ruthless Damiyos and Warlords who opposed Naruto's peace efforts challenged the underdog of a warlord...and were slaughtered to the last man. However, those who believed that Naruto could bring peace to the West came to his side, swearing loyalty to the young warlord. Soon, his army grew, consisting of Samurai and shinobi alike. Much to his surprise, Zabuza Momichi and Haku, thought to have been killed during the Wave Mission, were in fact alive, his base of operations was in the forests of the southern continent. Zabuza was leading his own army consisting of Mist refugees who fled during the bloodline purges, and upon finding out that the newest warlord was the same one he encountered years earlier back in Wave, pledged his support.

Like his parents, Naruto was an expert in the Uzumaki style of funijutsu, as well as the Uzumaki and Namikaze styles of combat. Also, aside from Yugito, Naruto had the Nine-Tails to rely upon. Originally, the Kyuubi no Youkou looked down on the son of Minato Namikaze with contempt, but after seeing how hard he worked and his devotion to his friends, the fox grew to respect him, which was ironic since aside from Yugito, the Nine-Tails was the one he could trust with his life. Proving to be a prodigy in the sealing arts, Naruto researched the seal which kept the Nine-Tails imprisoned in his gut. It was shortly after his fourteenth birthday that he freed her from its prison, complete with all nine tails of power.

That's right. The most powerful of the tailed beasts was a vixen.

The Nine-Tails, whose name was Kitami, could have left Naruto and gone after Madara Uchiha, the one person who was directly responsible for the deaths of Naruto's parents as well as sending her into a rage and attacking Konoha, but she was quite fond of the boy, and remained at his side, teaching him anything and everything about advanced combat, jutsus and life in general, even long before Naruto had freed her from the seal, Naruto taking to her teachings like a sponge to water.

Aside from being trained by the Kyuubi, Naruto also learned swordsmanship from Zabuza. He also became interested in samurai swordplay and soon learned from them as well from a master samurai by the name of Sonshi, training with him as well as learning all and everything political, while he wasn't out on campaign. Naruto's major support base, however would come from the people themselves. Naruto was finally seen for something other than being a jinchuuriki, and that was a hero. It took him one year to unify the northern continent, and another year to unify the southern continent under his banner.

The final battle took place on the Southern Continent. If one would call it that. The opposing Damiyos had surrendered once their armies had deserted in the face of the young warlord. With the Treaty of Ichiyama, the Unification War was officially over. Peace had finally been brought to the lands at last. It was three days after the war was over that Naruto was resting inside his home - formerly that of Rokunbungi Oda - when he was approached by the leading civilians, nobility and clans from both shinobi and samurai.

He had brought peace to the West, and now the people looked to him for further leadership.

Naruto offered token resistance to the idea, but it was Kitami who had talked him into it.

"You may not be Hokage, but the people look to you. Besides, you are even more powerful than your father and the last three Hokages combined. Why be a kage when you can become an Emperor?"

With that, Naruto had ascended from being a warlord to the Emperor. Thus, the Unified West, or the Western Empire was born. Kitami was his chief prime minister, while Zabuza and Yugito retained their commands of their own elite units. Sonshi also served as part of his council. That was four years ago.

Naruto kicked off the crimson covers and swung his feet over the edge of the bed before rising to his feet, wearing only a pair of pajamas pants and a sleeveless shirt. He stretched, which was followed by several morning calisthenics to work out the kinks in his muscles. As he stretched, he felt a pair of eyes on him, but he continued his calisthenics. He may have been the Emperor, but he was above all things, a warrior.

When he was finished, his wife made her move. He didn't even hear her move when she got out of the bed. But he did feel her arms around his waist, her body pressed up against his. While she was still holding her, Naruto turned around and looked down at his wife. She was taller than she was back when they were both Konoha genin, standing at five-feet-seven, several months younger than he was. Long indigo-colored hair reached down her back, her pupil-less lavender eyes looking up at her husband with love and tenderness. Her night clothes consisted of a tanktop and a pair of cotton shorts.

She was his confidant, his biggest supporter. She was also the Empress Consort, faithful wife to the Emperor.

"Good morning, Hime," Naruto greeted his wife, using his nickname for her as he kissed her on the forehead.

"Good morning, love," Hinata Namikaze greeted back.

It would be six years following his banishment from Konoha that they would meet up again, this time in Suna, where the Chuunin Exams were taking place. Naruto was present as the personal guest to the Kazekage, Gaara of the Sand, given as how Gaara had requested that he train the three Suna genin Maru Sarutobi (formerly Konohamaru), Moegi and Udon for the upcoming trials. Dressed incognito (which earned him the nickname 'The Man in Black,' he saw Hinata having a falling out with her former teammate Kiba Inuzuka and Naruto's former teammate Sakura Haruno, because of Hinata's support towards Naruto.

Using one of the courier ninjas assigned to the Imperial Consulate, he summoned Hinata. There, Naruto found out that not only Hinata was shunned by nearly everyone in Konoha because of her support for Naruto (save for Kurenai and Tsunade), but was also placed into the Hyuuga branch clan after her father branded her with the Caged Bird Seal. The Caged Bird Seal, thought to be permanent, was easily removed by Naruto.

Then Hinata received another shock. The man she loved was the one who had unified the West. He was the Emperor.

Free from both the seal and from her father's browbeating, Naruto allowed Hinata to remain at the Imperial Consulate until the conclusion of the Chuunin course, when Hiashi received Hinata's hitai-ate following the exams, he was livid. Hanabi, being the perfect little heiress, authorized a bounty on Hinata's head. Much Tsunade's dismay, Hinata was placed inside the Bingo Book as a A-ranked criminal with the order to retrieve on sight. Hiashi was not going to let anyone kill Hinata, for he would do that himself.

Unknown to Hiashi, Hinata had left with Naruto and his entourage following the conclusion of the Chuunin Exams. The next time he would see her, the result of that meeting would not be pretty.

As Hinata and Naruto had grown closer, Hinata was chosen by Kitami to become the third Fox Sage. Technically, only those in the Uzumaki clan were chosen, but since Naruto himself was an Uzumaki on his mother's side and his marriage to Hinata was a foregone conclusion, Kitami chose Hinata.

It would prove to be a wise decision. Kitami saw that Hinata had potential and the drive to surpass even the first two sages. Even more surprising was the fact that her self-confidence and self-worth had increased. Even though she was not a seal master like her husband, Hinata made up for it by being an expert healer and fighter, her tactical prowess second only to her husband's. Following the completion of her six-month training, Hinata was officially declared the Third Fox Sage.

About a month later, she would marry Naruto in a private ceremony. There, she was given a new title: Empress Consort. Unlike most rulers, Hinata's authority was second to her husband's own. She was also quite popular with both the Empire's nobility, its armed forces, and with the common people. A former princess forsaken by her family because of the love she had for her husband, long before he became the Emperor. It also cemented the dynasty of the Uzumaki-Namikaze rulers.

"You okay?" Hinata asked.

"Bad dream," was the reply.

"Was it Konoha?" Hinata asked, knowing full well that today marked Naruto's banishment from the Leaf.

Naruto nodded. "Eight years."

"Do you have any regrets?"

"Now that I think about it, no. Konoha was holding me back." Naruto paused. "Great. I sound like Sasuke back when we fought at the Valley."

The Empress Consort giggled as she stole a kiss from her brooding husband and untangled herself from his embrace. "Come on, Lord Namikaze. We have to get ready for the day."

She didn't get very far, as Naruto grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her back to him. "The Empire can wait, Hime. We'll head out in 30 minutes."

Hinata smiled. She still held that smile as she reversed the grip and tossed her husband onto the bed. Before the Emperor could recover, the Fox Sage pounced on him.

* * *

><p>30 minutes later...<p>

Following the impromptu makeout session, the Emperor and his consort showered together, as they had always did. Afterward, they emerged from the bathroom and got dressed.

One thing about Naruto was that his style of clothing has changed. He had grown out of wearing orange, switching over from the color which screamed 'kill me' to mostly dark attire. After all, black was a universal color, and could just as easily go with anything. He walked into his closet and pulled out his clothes for the day, consisting of a white shirt with a tight collar, black vest, pants and boots. His longcoat remained on the hanger, while his black Kage-style hat was still on the dresser. The hat was mostly used to conceal his identity, mostly when he traveled abroad, which was often.

Hinata also followed her husband's example. Despite having a passion for chesogam dresses, she too dressed simply. Her uniform consisted of a ninja jumpsuit (i.e., her Shippuden uniform) and a black Jounin flak vest. The conical straw hat, which Hinata wore for the same reasons as her husband's Kage-style hat was on the counter as well.

Naruto rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows. The last thing he slipped on were a pair of black leather gloves. Once everything was in place, they exited the bedroom via shunshin, ending up on the grounds of the Imperial Complex.

The sun has just risen over the city of Kimon, which was just as big as Konoha, only that it sat twenty miles inland from the Western Sea. The Kimon River, which snaked its way halfway through the Northern Continent, came to an end at its namesake city. The Imperial Capital also served as a hub for trade, as did South Ichiyama in the Southern Region.

Their residence, The Imperial Complex was the nerve center of the Empire (think the Imperial Palace in Japan). Located at the heart of Kumon City, which served as the Imperial Capital, the two-mile Complex sat on on top of a small hill and was heavily fortified, as it once belonged to Rokunbungi Oda. Now, it served as the center of the Unified West. Spanning two miles, the four-story Imperial Palace, which served as the residence of the Emperor. The top two floors were reserved for the Emperor, while the bottom two floors were for their guests. Aside from the Imperial Palace was the Hall of Sovereigns, of which the Emperor, the Empress and their 12-member Imperial Council - six from the Empire's high-ranking samurai and shinobi clans and six civilians and nobility who were the elected representatives of the people - met three times a week to conduct and manage the government. The House of Sovereigns also contained his throne room, where the royal couple would usually receive their guests, seated on their thrones, as well as their joint office.

Unlike the Konoha Council, in which the Hokage was more of a figurehead by the time Tsunade had assumed the mantle, Naruto held absolute power alongside Hinata. However, Naruto and Hinata were no tyrants, showing that they had learned their lessons well. The men and women that served on the council were not 'yes-men,' but people who had fought and bled alongside with Naruto in the Unification War, and he trusted and respected them a great deal, as the council did the same.

The Imperial Ballroom was located in a wooded section of the park. At the moment, the servants busied themselves in preparing for the Unification Gala which was to be held by the end of the week, in which the Emperor and Empress would host what is the biggest event of the year. And at that time, the entire Empire would be celebrating the peace and prosperity that their young Emperor has brought them after years of non-stop war. Adjacent to the Imperial Palace, was their private training hall, where he and Hinata would spar and meditate. Last, was the set of barracks used by a regiment of ninja and samurai, also hidden in the wooded area of the complex, the ninja and samurai assigned to watch over the grounds of the complex.

Arms linked, the royal couple strolled into the House of Sovereigns to start their day, the samurai that stood guard greeted their Emperor, to which Naruto and Hinata responded with a nod.

The chief adviser was waiting for them in the corridor. Slightly taller than the Emperor, with tanned skin, muscular, bleached blond hair and mustache Naruto greeted him with a nod, and the man fell in step beside him and Hinata.

"You're up early this morning, A," Naruto began.

"And you jumped out the window again, Chief," A replied dryly. Turning to Hinata, he greeted her as well. "Lady Namikaze."

"A," Hinata responded. "He did not jump out of the window this time. We came down by shunshin."

How did the Raikage of Kumo ended up in the West, and as Naruto's senior adviser? Three years earlier, A was overthrown by a more hardline Raikage. The first order of the new Raikage: eliminate his predecessor and his brother, Killer Bee. However, as Emperor of the West, Naruto had a robust spy network in the East, and it was through them that Naruto was notified of the coup while visiting Gaara in Suna. With the aid of his Elite Guard, his personal bodyguards and the use of the Demons' Gate jutsu, arrived at the nick of time and slaughtered the Kumo ANBU, thus saving A and Bee's lives.

Imagine their shock upon returning to Suna that the Emperor was the former Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Even A and Bee had heard about the exploits about the one who unified the lands under a single banner. It was then that Naruto offered A and Bee political asylum within the Empire, along with the other five jinchuuriki that Naruto had rescued from the Akatsuki. A and Bee accepted Naruto's offer, with A serving as chief adviser to the young Emperor, while Bee hung around the trading post of Rara, located thirty miles from Kumon.

"Still a ninja, through and through," A remarked.

"Haven't called myself that since I came here," Naruto replied. "Given the fact that I've also been trained by Samurai, I'm more of a combination between the two. So what's on the schedule for today?"

"Not much, just a meeting with one of the Damiyos from the Southern Region. Mukada, I think. Everyone is preparing for the festival at the end of the week."

"What is it about? The southern badlands? I thought we covered that in the last meeting of the Council."

"That we did, Chief," A replied, "and so far, your financial aid has proven to be effective. I think that Damiyo Mukada wishes to offer the hand of his eldest daughter to you."

At that, Hinata's eye twitched. Naruto was loyal to her and despite her gentle demeanor, the idea of having to compete with either a concubine or a mistress was to her insulting. She made that perfectly clear when she became Empress Consort. Naruto was hers and hers alone.

"In case you forgot, I'm married," Naruto said.

"But in Mukada's case, he wants you to have a concubine."

"So in case his daughter's offspring could have a claim to the throne?" Hinata cut in. "I think not."

'Whoa. Scary,' A thought. 'Glad I wasn't in charge when that mess with the Hyuuga went down.'

Naruto groaned. "At least Lady Aihara wasn't as persistent. She did back off when Hinata and I got married. I don't chase skirts or fangirls. I'm strictly a one-woman man."

"How admirable of you," A said. In the three years that he has been here, his respect towards the boy has grown. Here was someone that everyone has written off as worthless, a dead-last who was banished from his home for simply doing his job, the ruler of a Empire. When Naruto had told him and Bee the circumstances of his banishment, both men were shocked. The boy was banished solely for doing his job. Even more so, was the fact that the boy they banished was the son of the village hero, a man that both brothers respected.

What was more surprising to A and his brother was that he had managed to rally the other jinchuuriki to his cause. With the exception of the bloodthirsty Yagura, who was dead and Gaara, who was still Suna's Kazekage, the surviving Jinchuuriki had made their homes throughout the Empire, and the people saw them as Guardians, heroes, not as weapons or demons. The six jinchuuriki were also instrumental in defending Suna from the Akatsuki, who had invaded the Sand.

It was indeed a brutal battle. The Akatsuki was backed up by the Five Paths of Pein and 100,000 White Zetsu clones. The joint Imperial-Suna forces consisted of Zabuza Momichi's Demon Brigade, Yugito Nii's Hellcat Unit, former Akatsuki members Yahiko and Konan, who had defected from the Akatsuki upon being betrayed by their childhood friend Nagato, 20,000 ninja and samurai from the Imperial Forces, and the six Jinchuuriki which Naruto had rescued.

Despite having superior numbers, the Akatsuki lacked the power of the Jinchuuriki. In the end, the Akatsuki were routed and destroyed. It was during the Akatsuki Invasion that Naruto had earned another nickname: The Akatsuki Killer. Both Itachi Uchiha and Nagato had fallen to his blade. Hinata was credited with the killing of Deidara. One chakra-powered Kaiton shot from her Yumi bow had struck his pouch of clay, detonating it, killing him almost instantly.

"You call it admirable," Naruto replied, "but Mukada is as sneaky as they come. Reminds me of the so-called honorable council from Konoha. Always looking out for their own interests, yet claim that it's for the good of the village."

"Your Majesty!"

Naruto, Hinata and A stopped in mid-step and turned around. A valet was running down the hall in their direction. The valet skidded to a halt, and bended down to his knees, panting, taking in gulps of air.

"Catch your breath, son," A said. "What business you have with the Emperor?"

"There's someone here asking for you," the valet replied once he got himself under control. "He wishes to speak with you, sir."

"Tell them whoever it is I will speak with him shortly," Naruto replied.

"He says it's urgent, Sire."

Naruto sighed. "Okay. Who is he and where is he from?"

"He did not give me his name, Majesty," the valet replied, "but he did say he was from the East. Fire Country."

If Naruto was surprised, he did not show it. However, A and Hinata exchanged worried glances. "Where is he now?"

"I told him to wait inside the throne room, sir," the valet replied.

"You may go," the Emperor said.

Once the valet was gone, A turned to the younger man. "Fire Country? You think it's Konoha?"

"Could be," Naruto replied.

"If you want, I can have whoever it is thrown out," A suggested.

"No...this was going to happen sooner or later," Naruto replied. "You think that after sending out most of the Konoha 11, the warhawk, and the clan heads after me that they would finally get the hint and leave me alone. Deal with Mukada, and tell him that one: I had an emergency to deal with; and two: my answer to his impending proposal is no."

A nodded and walked down the corridor. Naruto, in the meantime, headed for the throne room, located inside the hall. Hinata followed him. On the outside, he was the perfect picture of calm. Inside, he was angry.

Konoha. Today marked the eighth anniversary of his banishment from the Leaf, and someone had the nerve to waltz into his home. Depending on who it was, he may have them imprisoned. If it was that meddling warhawk and his two buddies on the council, execution looked mighty attractive. The throne room was guarded by two armored samurai, each armed with a nagainata, as well as a sword strapped to the side. The men saluted their Emperor, who responded with a nod, as one of them opened the door to the throne room. Hinata remained behind.

Doubling as a reception hall, the throne room was simply designed, as per to Naruto's orders. The Emperor was not a worldly man, as his life in Konoha had proved that. The throne room was simple, yet regal and it showed off his power. The throne room was half the size of the Konoha Council Chambers, breathtakingly beautiful and very restrained (think the throne room from The Last Samurai).

A red carpet led from the door to the throne itself, which was raised on a small platform. The twin thrones themselves was of an intricate design; made from the finest cedar from the Southern Continent combined with red velvet from the Northern Continent. It looked like any other chairs from the Empire, but it was anything but. It was a throne fit for the Emperor and his consort.

And Naruto saw him, seated on the steps leading to the thrones. Pausing only to cast a seal which soundproofed the room, Naruto faced the one person he hasn't seen in eight long years.

A man standing at his height, with spiky white hair, with a horned forehead protector with the kanji 'Oil' carved into it, and dressed in a short green kimono and pants combination, the mesh shirt visible underneath. Over the green kimono was was a red sage robe, open. His face had red markings under his eyes and a giant scroll was slung over his back.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "You..." he hissed.

"Been a while, kid," Jiraiya said.

"Not long enough, Jiraiya," Naruto replied, his tone flat.

"I gotta admit, kid," Jiraiya began, "this is one hell of a setup you got here."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Naruto demanded.

Jiraiya gulped. He recognized that look in Naruto's eyes. He had seen it in Tsunade's face and recognized it all too well. The 'I-wanna-beat-down-the-perverted-sage' look. Given the choice of dealing with his estranged godson and Orochimaru, the snake was looking to be more attractive than the former ninja-turned-Emperor, who was one step away from showing him his spine.

Eight years and his hatred towards anything Konoha-releated had not waned. He had hoped that in that time, that Naruto had cooled down. He was wrong. To make matters worse, Jiraiya had realized that he had chosen to visit on the anniversary of Naruto's banishment from the Leaf.

'Crap,' Jiraya thought. 'This is not good.'


	3. 2 Decisions

**Chapter Two: Decisions**

"I'm waiting for an answer. What the hell are you doing here, Jiraiya?" Naruto demanded, arms folded.

Jiraiya winced. He had expected Naruto to call him Pervy Sage. Then again, in Naruto's eyes, he was one of many who did not stand up for him when the banishment order came down, as he was absent at the time.

"Look, kid, I just came here to explain...explain why I did what I did."

As Jiraiya would soon find out, that was the wrong thing to say, as he was cut off by a yellow flash of light, and a gloved hand from his pissed-off godson clamped down on his throat.

Naruto had mastered the Hirashin...unfortunately, Jiraiya was on the receiving end.

"Explain...EXPLAIN?" Naruto bellowed. "Explain why I should not snap your neck, old man! At least give me one good reason why I should not send you back to Konoha in pieces!"

As he tried to yank Naruto's hand from his throat, Jiraiya watched as Naruto's eye color shifted from a vibrant cerulean to the color of pure gold. Normally when Naruto went fox on his opponents, the eyes would go red with slitted pupils. Here, the pupils remained normal.

But there was still the matter of surviving the wrath of his estranged godson, who was at the moment, trying to strangle him to death. It took the perverted sage a moment to realize that Naruto has lifted him clean off the floor.

"Explain to me why you would rather work on that smut you call novels instead of showing up in my life?" the Emperor snarled. "Why you abandoned me like the rest of that damned village? Why you didn't tell me who my parents were? Or why you have the nerve to waltz into my country and my home uninvited?"

"I'msorryi'msorry," Jiraiya managed to croak out. "Pleasedon'tkillme."

Jiraiya's eyes were starting to roll into the back of his head, his skin starting to turn purple. Seeing that having a dead body on his hands would be bad even for the Emperor, Naruto released him. The Toad Sage fell to a heap at the Emperor's feet, gulping down mass quantities of air. Despite his near-death experience at the hands of his estranged godson, Jiraiya felt he deserved it, for abandoning his godson in the aftermath of the Sasuke Retrieval Mission.

"Chakra-enduced strength," Jiraiya said as he rubbed his neck. Tsunade would have been proud.

Naruto ignored the comment. He walked past the hacking man and took a seat upon his throne. "How did you find me?" he asked, still angry, but not angry enough to show the older man what his insides looked like, his eyes still golden.

Jiraiya shakily rose to his feet. "You were last seen heading towards Wave Country from Cloud, after being seen leaving with the Two-Tails. Never thought that you would end up here. You're also well-known back east as the one who unified the West since era of the Six Paths," he explained. "Since everyone here knows who you are, it was pretty easy to track you down."

"You still haven't answered my first question. Without saying that you wanted to see how your godson is doing, what are you doing here?"

Jiraiya flinched when Naruto pronounced 'godson' with sarcasm. Minato and Kushinna would skin him alive if they were still living if they had found out what their son had went through. Then again, open hostility from the former Konoha genin was something to be expected.

"I screwed up big time," Jiraiya began. "I can honestly admit that now. For not being there for you when you were growing up and when you were banished, I am truly sorry. I see Minato in you, and because of that, part of me did blame you for his death. That was the main reason behind why I stood aside when the orders came down to retrieve the Uchiha. When I heard that you were banished, I decided to do the right thing for once. The Forbidden Scroll and your heritage...that was my doing. Ironically, the Forbidden Scroll once belonged to your father."

Naruto's eyes widened in realization. It was Jiraiya who had tracked him down outside Wave while staying overnight with Tazuma and his family and had delivered both the Scroll and his heritage.

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Wave Country, seven years earlier..._

_Tracking down Naruto was easy enough. He was friends with the bridge builder, who was more than willing to offer the banished ninja a place to stay for the night, before leaving the following morning._

_Sneaking in was easy enough, an open window inside Inari's bedroom, where the bridge builder's grandson and his godson were both fast asleep. Jiraiya simply stood there, watching Naruto sleep. Ever since hearing about the banishment upon returning to Konoha to report on the Akatsuki, he was disgusted at not only Tsunade for not trying any harder to stop the council, but at the council, both Shinobi and Civilian, who had decided to kiss the Uchiha's ass and banish him for being the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. He was even furious at the majority of his godson's former teammates, especially the pink-haired banshee, who kept calling for his death, and that scarecrow of a sensei, who devoted more time in training Sasuke than the other two._

_More importantly, he was disgusted with himself for not being there when the order came down to retrieve Uchiha. He saw the looks of disgust on Naruto's teammates when Tsunade had told them about the burden he carried. It was after he had retrieved both Naruto's legacy and the Forbidden Scroll that he vowed that not only that as long as Naruto was banished, then he nor his spy network would not serve the Leaf. After coming into contact with the Princess of Spring, who was shooting a movie in the Fire Capital, she was more than willing to offer him and his network political asylum once she found out about Naruto's banishment._

_Since leaving Konoha, Naruto was dogged by a squad of ROOT ANBU, as well as hunter ninja. Even Itachi Uchiha and his partner Kisame Hoshigaki increased their efforts in trying to capture the jinchuuriki. But he was not known as the unpredictable knuckleheaded ninja for nothing, as he had used his shadow clones to keep his pursuers occupied. It was only through sheer dumb luck that Jiraiya had came across Naruto's location._

_For a moment, Jiraiya stood silent. Then he reached behind his back and retrieved the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing, as well as a smaller scroll, containing not only Naruto's birth certificate, but also the bank accounts of the Namikaze family fortune, located in Tea Country and placed it at the foot of Naruto's bed. The blonde ninja remained sleeping._

_His task done, Jiraiya left the same way he came._

_"You got a lot of nerve showing you face here, Toad Sage."_

_Jiraya stopped in mid-step and turned around, finding himself face-to-face with Yugito Nii. Kunais in her hands, the former Kumo kunoichi/Ichibi jinchuuriki was ready to attack._

_"I'm not here to fight," Jiraiya said as Yugito advanced on him. The old hermit then recognized her. She was not dressed like a kunoichi, but there was her chakra signature. "You're Yugito Nii, of Kumo. Jinchuuriki to the Nibi, the Two-Tailed Monster Cat."_

_"I'm no longer with the Cloud," Yugito replied, stopping in mid-step. "Without the knowledge of both A and Killer Bee, the council decide to sell me out to the Akatsuki. If it wasn't for the kid, I would have been captured...or worse. He told me everything. The gaki and I are both nukenin without a home. And because I owe him my life, I and the Two-Tails will protect him from all threats."_

_"At least I know that he's safe," Jiraya said. "I just dropped by to deliver his legacy and inheritance."_

_"You mean he doesn't know that he is the son of the Yellow Flash of Konoha?" Off Jiraiya's surprised expression, Yugito continued. "It's pretty damn obvious since he looks like his old man. Namikaze's a legend, given how he wiped out most of Iwa's ninja forces with the Hirashin. Don't worry. I'll let him find out on his own. In the morning, we'll be gone."_

_"Probably for the best," Jiraiya said. "The kid probably hates me for not backing him up. For his sake...tell him that you didn't see me."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p>Seeing as how he held the young Emperor's attention, Jiraiya continued with his explanation. "I knew you would hate me, so I did not come and see you when you were banished. That and Minato and Kushinna would kill me for not being there for you, so I did the next best thing. Following your banishment, Konoha tried to send hunter ninja and ANBU after you, as well as placing you in the bingo book as a S-class missing nin, but fortunately, your old man had friends in high places."<p>

Naruto could only guess. "My father knew the Fire Damiyo?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Your father rescued the Damiyo's daughters during the last Shinobi War when they were kidnapped by Iwa ninja. When I told him everything that has happened to you, the Fire Damiyo decided to intervene on your behalf. I was there in disguise as one of the Damiyo's guards when he went to Konoha to personally end the attempts on your life. Believe me when I say that the council was pissed."

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Konohagakure no Sato - seven years earlier..._

_"...the Uchiha will not face criminal charges, as he was under the influence of the Cursed Seal," Koharu Utatane was saying to the council._

_Tsunade Senju was not pleased. "That does not mean that he will be punished for his attempted defection," the Godaime intoned. "He will be placed under house arrest until I see fit that he will return to active duty, and will remain a genin for the next three years. Furthermore, Cell Seven is immediately dissolved. Captain Hatake has shown that he is not capable of leading a team of genin due to his blatant favoritism and will be placed back inside the ANBU. Haruno will be reassigned to another cell."_

_The civilian side of the council had no problem in agreeing with Tsunade's request. They were in a good mood, as they had finally gotten rid of the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, circumventing around Tsunade's authority in order to do so. Even more better was the fact that the majority of the Konoha 11 saw him as the fox reborn, meaning that it would be easy to get them to kill the container the next time they see him._

_Homura Mitokado then spoke next. "Our next order of business is the Kyuubi jinchuuriki himself. I propose that he will be placed in the Bingo Book as a S-ranked missing ninja with orders to kill on sight." Turning to Tsunade, he cut her off, noting the furious expression on her face, his tone slightly smug. "The boy is a danger. Who know what he will do? He is unpredictable and now that he has been banished, he could take his revenge on Konoha." Turning to the council, he said, "All those in favor of placing Naruto Uzumaki in the Bingo Book as a S-ranked missing ninja?"_

_Before a vote could be taken, the chamber's doors opened and the Damiyo's personal guard stepped inside, ready to execute their lord's will._

_Hiashi Hyuuga was on his feet. "This is a private meeting!" he barked. "You dare interrupt this honorable council?"_

_"I dare, Hyuuga," the Fire Damiyo intoned as he stepped inside, causing the Hyuuga clan head to do a very uncharacteristic 'Eep' at his arrival. The old man's face showed genuine discontent of the council who had orchestrated the banishment of Minato's son, and the Hokage, who was helpless to stop them._

_The council and Tsunade bowed in respect of the ruler of Fire Country. "Lord Damiyo, to what we owe the honor of you visit today?" Homura asked._

_The Damiyo looked around before he began to speak. "I have received word from a very creditable source that this so-called 'honorable' council are attempting to place a boy in the Bingo Book for the sole reason of being the jinchuuriki to the Nine-Tails," he deadpanned._

_At that sentence, the council chamber went silent. Their scheme was finally exposed._

_The Damiyo caught the looks on the council's faces. "So...it is true."_

_Hiashi was the first to quickly reply to the Damiyo's accusation. "My Lord, while that alone is a valid reason, it is not the main reason," he stated._

_The Damiyo turned to Hiashi. "Do you think I am stupid, Hyuuga?" he asked in a ice cold tone. "Please...tell me."_

_Wisely, Hiashi kept his mouth shut, since he wanted to keep his head._

_"Coming from you, Hyuuga, I am most surprised to see that you of all people defending the Uchiha, given the bad blood between your clan and the Uchiha. I'm willing to bet you were very happy when most of them were slaughtered. I have seen the mission parameters for the Uchiha Retrieval Mission, and you banished the boy solely for doing his job. If anything, the Uchiha should be banished, if not executed outright, for his attempted defection from the Leaf, as well as nearly causing the deaths of his teammates, as well as the visiting envoy from Suna who was also sent along for the mission."_

_One of the civilians rose up in protest. Tsunade recognized her as Asana Haruno, Sakura's mother and the leader of the Konoha Mercantile Guild. "My Lord, he is the last of the Uchiha clan! He is needed here! Adviser Utatane verified it herself! The Uchiha was under the influence of the Cursed Seal."_

_"No. You value only the Uchiha's Sharingan to the point that this pathetic council will banish an innocent boy for something that was not in his control," the Damiyo shot back, causing the council member to sit back down in fright. "And concerning Utatane's 'claim,' it's a bunch of crap. Utatane is not a seal master. That is just an excuse. The Uchiha left the village of his own accord, and you were more than willing to sacrifice your own ninja to bring him back. But back to the matter at hand. You banished the Uzumaki boy on trumped-up charges for using excessive force, yet he was more injured than the Uchiha. And now, you wish to place him in the Bingo Book solely because he is the jailer of the Nine-Tails." He began to count off on his fingers. "One, you had overrode the authority of your Hokage to have him banished, ergo you cannot label him as a missing ninja. Two, I see no reason to have him placed in the book, nor send hunter ninja after him, since he is not a criminal. The third reason is strictly political."_

_Off their confused looks, the Damiyo decided to explain. "My counterpart in Wind Country spoke highly of the Uzumaki boy, as he had helped the Suna jinchuuriki, and also saw that he was wrong in cutting their military aid. The Princess of Spring Country, as well as the unified people of Wave Country also hold the boy in high regards for his actions, as does countless others. My own influence will decrease should he is placed in the Bingo Book."_

_The council knew what was coming. Danzou rose from his seat. "My Lord, please...the Kyuubi jinchuuriki is a threat to the Leaf. He must be dealt with while we have the chance."_

_The Damiyo cut him off with a glare. "If I remember correctly, Shimura, you do not dictate what I should do. I am the Lord of Fire Country. Not you. Are we clear?"_

_"Yes, sir," Danzou grated as he slid back into his seat. Even the warhawk knew better than to go against the Fire Lord._

_The Fire Damiyo then made his judgement. "While I cannot reverse the banishment orders, I can issue the following edict. Naruto Uzumaki will not be placed in the Bingo Book, nor will you continue to send hunter ninja after him. This is my final word on this matter. If I find out that he is placed inside or you continue to send your ANBU after him, not only will I have the entire Konoha Council - civilian and shinobi - executed for high treason against Fire Country...but Sasuke Uchiha will be executed as well."_

_Any protests the council was planning on making instantly died in their mouths. They knew that the Fire Damiyo was serious. Dead serious._

_Seeing as the council was willed into submission the Damiyo nodded. "Glad you decided to see things my way. As of this moment, the matter regarding Uzumaki is closed."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p>Jiraiya had finished his tale to Naruto, who stood there in silence. After a moment, Naruto nodded in respect towards the older man.<p>

"I'm still angry over your actions, Jiraiya...but I will still give you credit where it's due. Thank you for giving me my heritage and protecting me against that damned council."

Jiraiya beamed. Maybe things between Naruto and himself could be mended after all. "Tsunade was against the banishment in general. But her hands were tied, as the decision from both shinobi and civilian was all but unanimous. She fought tooth and nail for you, kid, but it was not enough. The council had originally planned on executing you, but Tsunade overruled them."

"Lot of good that would have done," Naruto snorted. "If I had died, the furball would have been released and free to go to town. Dad may have been good with the seal, but even he forgot that one little detail. She should have done more, instead of caving into the council's demands of banishing me and kissing Uchiha's ass."

Jiraiya saw that Naruto's eyes had turned back to normal. "What's with your eyes?"

"It's my bloodline," Naruto explained. "A gift from You-Know-Who."

"The fox gave that to you?"

The Emperor nodded. "I call it Fox Eye." Raising one hand, Naruto produced a Rasengan, while at the same time, activating his bloodline. Then he pumped his wind-based chakra into the technique, causing the ball of chakra to shift into the shape of a fuuma shuriken. "The Fox Eye basically allows me to unleash senjutsu-level attacks. Given my enormous chakra reserves, it is indeed a formidable bloodline, its power could rival even the Rinnegan and the Eternal Magenkyou Sharingan. Before I got the Fox Eye, it would normally take two clones to help me with the Rasenshuriken. Now, I can do this with no problem."

The former Konoha ninja banished the jutsu and returned his eyes to normal. "Of course, the Fox Eye also has several benefits as well. Seeing as how I am a seal master like Dad, it increases the effectiveness of my seals a hundred fold. Came in pretty handy when I dealt with Hidan and Kazuku. Plus, it also makes me immune from genjutsu, including the Magenkyou's Tsukyomi, and it nullifies the Sharingan's abilility to copy any jutsu."

"Impressive," Jiraiya said.

Naruto leaned back in his throne. "Does Konoha know about me?" he asked.

"Yes...and no. Yes, they know about your exploits and deeds, as the one who united the West. Fortunately, with the exception of Suna and Mist, your identity is unknown. I haven't been back in Konoha following your banishment. Damiyo Fujikaze was nice enough to offer me asylum in Spring after I explained everything to her."

"Yukie does have a kind heart. I can only imagine Konoha's reaction if they found out I was the Emperor of the Western Empire," Naruto muttered. "Especially Danzou. He's a sneaky little shit that has dug himself deep within the Leaf. Then there's Iwa and Orochimaru..."

"Actually, speaking of the snake, there is another reason why I decided to come here to speak with you," Jiraiya said.

* * *

><p>At the same time, in Konoha...<p>

The reports from the border patrols looked grim. Lightning and Earth had closed off its borders. Even worse, rumors were coming in that the Raikage had been overthrown and replaced with a more hardline kage. A and his brother, Killer Bee, were missing. Even more worse, said kage had slaughtered most of the Lightning Damiyo's family, with the exception of a select few, who managed to escape.

And to top it off, Iwa has a brand-new Tsuchikage, following the suspicious 'death' of Oneki.

But that was not the worst of the news that had dampened Tsunade Senju's day. The worst news was that Kumo and Iwa had formed an alliance with Orochimaru and his Sound ninja.

That meant only one thing: War was inevitable.

At the moment, the Godaime was in a meeting with the Konoha Council. Ever since that day seven years ago, Tsunade had come to despise the council for what they had done. No one, from the shinobi clans to the civilians stood up for Naruto. Even worse, when she revealed Naruto's burden as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki in an attempt to see the kind of hero he was, the Konoha 11 - with the exception of Hinata - had turned their backs on him.

She had notified the council of the recent events, and suffice to say, things looked grim for the Leaf. Against one of the major Shinobi powers, they stood a chance of survival. But against two major shinobi powers who both have a grudge against Konoha and a rogue sage hell-bent on destroying the Leaf...the situation looked grim.

Tsunade called for silence. "It's apparent that this is going to be a three-on-one battle. If by some miracle we manage to survive, then it will take years for Konoha to rebuild its forces. What we need is another force involved."

To everyone's surprise, Danzou Shimura nodded in agreement. "Although I hate to admit it, Lady Hokage is right," the warhawk/ROOT commander seconded. "The Leaf needs another ally if we plan on surviving this war. I, for one do not wish to see Konoha lost to the ages."

Inoichi Yamanaka spoke next. "The idea of an alliance sounds feasible, but who in the elemental nations would join us? Suna would be our number one choice, but they revoked the alliance when we banished the Uzumaki boy, and refuse to have nothing to do with us. Following that, Spring, Snow, Iron, Tea, and Wave revoked their alliance and trade agreements with the Leaf, as well as with Fire Country. It is true that we no longer have to worry about the Nine-Tails, but it is apparent that by banishing the boy, it did more harm to the Leaf than good."

The council members begrudgingly had to agree. Following Naruto's banishment, Suna had sent an envoy demanding an explanation as to why Naruto was banished. The time was extremely bad on Konoha's part, as there was a city-wide party celebrating Naruto's banishment in full swing. When the reason was given (i.e., Naruto's 'excessive force' during the Sasuke Retrieval mission, along with being the Kyuubi's jailer), Suna had literally tore the alliance to shreds. Aside from that, Konohamaru Sarutobi - Asuma's nephew and Hiruzen's grandson - had abandoned Konoha, along with Moegi and Udon, and left for Suna with the envoy, the trio knowing full well of Naruto's burden as the Nine-Tails, since Naruto himself had told them.

That incident still haunts Asuma to this very day. By siding with the council solely on fear, he had effectively lost the remaining member of his family. His marriage to Kurenai and the birth of his daughter Hitomi helped somewhat, but he felt like he had failed his father. The next time Asuma would see him, Konohamaru would be participating in the Chuunin Exams in Suna.

Following Suna terminating their alliance, the various trade agreements and alliances had fallen through. Wave had broken off trade agreements, as did Tea, Iron, and Spring, as well as numerous others. Even Jiraya was on Naruto's side, as they had lost the use of his spy network. The search parties that Tsunade (and Danzou using his ROOT) had sent out found nothing of the missing Toad Sage. Not to mention the Fire Damiyo, who had forbidden the council to place the former jinchuuriki into the Bingo Book, on threat of execution of both the entire council and that of Sasuke Uchiha. All attempts to rebuild Konoha's reputation had all been futile.

When asked why the neighboring villages and countries had terminated their alliances and agreements, everyone's response was the same. They favored a ninja who was more than willing to betray his village for power and banished a ninja who was a hero. In layman's terms, Naruto wasn't to blame, but Sasuke Uchiha for his attempted defection from the Leaf. And having a village known for its chronic backstabbing part of any kind of alliance or agreement would be bad for business. In those eight years, it was clear that the Leaf was now a mere shadow of its former glory. Where ever the Leaf went, they would receive a rather cold reception. In some cases, they were not welcome into some of the villages, as it had been evident when Suna hosted the Chuunin Exams.

"Inoichi is correct," Tsume Inuzuka concurred. "But the main problem is how can we forge an alliance when most of the villages despise us? That damned Kyuubi brat cost us every single alliance we had when we threw him out."

Lucky for her, she didn't notice Tsunade's hand ball up into a fist. However, the Inuzuka Matriarch felt a cold chill run down her spine as she felt murderous intent being directed at her. The feral clan head decided that it was best for her to shut up.

"What about the Unified West?"

Everyone turned to the source of the voice. Seated on the shinobi side of the council, was the last active member of the now-defunct Cell Seven, Sasuke Uchiha. Following Naruto's banishment and Tsunade's revealing Naruto's secret, Sasuke was the diametric opposite of the rest of the ninja. Unlike his own childhood, Sasuke had grown to respect (albeit a bit grudgingly) the burden that Naruto had carried, not to mention the level of restraint that Naruto had. Even he saw that he was not the Nine-Tails reborn, and with that kind of power, he could easily destroy Konoha should he wish. He also blamed himself for being seduced by the promise of power from Orochimaru, which led to the events that ended with Naruto's banishment.

Despite not being trusted for his attempted defection to Orochimaru, Sasuke had worked hard for his rank of Chuunin, and later, Jounin, and had gained a seat on the council, and as one of the chief advisers to Tsunade. To the shinobi side of the council, despite their obvious mistrust of the last Uchiha, the idea did show merit. They had heard about a young boy who had emerged in the West and had launched a war of unification, uniting the lands in less than two years and having been proclaimed the 'Emperor of the West.'

"Suna is pretty friendly with the Empire," Sasuke continued. "Aside from that, it's apparent that Suna has a military alliance with the Western Empire. Given that it had came to the Sand's aid during the Akatsuki invasion, it is clear that the Empire has some pretty powerful warriors within their ranks, both shinobi and samurai. The Emperor himself is said to be a powerful warrior, trained in both the shinobi arts and the way of the samurai. From our past encounters with him, it's safe to say that he is highly skilled and incredibly strong, stronger than even the Legendary Sages themselves."

'Indeed,' Danzou thought. 'That boy has proven to be stronger than my elite ROOT. Were he a Konoha ninja, I would have made him into my right-hand man. He shows even more promise than the Uchiha. And his Elite Guard...if they are strong enough to decimate my ROOT, then such a power could be extremely useful for Konoha.'

As to the rumors of the Emperor himself being a skilled and powerful warrior, several of the shinobi clan heads, higher-ranking Jounin and Special Jounin can attest to that fact, albeit painfully. It had all started two years ago when Akatsuki members Hidan and Kazuku slaughtered the warrior monk Chiriku and his fellow monks inside their temple, the Emperor himself - who was on an inspection tour of the Pekara Merchant Houses with the Shinzens and traveling incognito - personally intervened.

Tracking down Hidan and Kazuku near an underground bounty station, the Emperor brought Hidan's Jashin Ritual and Curse jutsu to a halt, thus saving Asuma's life. As Kazuku and Asuma watched in complete shock, the Emperor nullified Hidan's immortality with a special set of seals, right before severing his head from his body, killing the foul-mouthed priest/ninja. Then he turned his attention to Kazuku, destroying each of his hearts before severing his own head as well. To add insult to injury, he collected the bounties on both men.

Moments later, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio arrived. Assuming the worst, they attacked the Man in Black...only to be sledgehammered back. Their injuries were not fatal, but they would be out of action for a couple of days. Asuma, however, would be incapacitated for several months. But after Asuma had explained everything, it was clear that he owed the mystery man his life, and that he knew his old comrade in arms, which means that he was out simply to avenge Chiriku. Tsunade was not convinced, and with the council's backing, issued the following order: bring the Man in Black to Konoha for questioning. Following the Ino-Shika-Cho's defeat, several more Konoha ninja would face the Emperor...and fail.

Danzou was the first to jump on those orders. He dispatched twenty of his ROOT ANBU led by Sai to the Fire-Sound border, where the Man in Black had paid for the burial of Chiriku and his fellow monks. Danzou himself tagged along, hoping to see his ROOT take down the mystery man, as he was complacent in their superiority.

At the ruins of Fire Temple, Danzou confronted the Man in Black, who was flanked by the Shinzens and his six-man Elite Guard. The warhawk delivered the ultimatum: Come quietly or there will be trouble. The Man in Black was not amused, and gave the order to attack. In the ensuing battle, his Elite Guard took down half of the ROOT ANBU, while the Man in Black himself was credited with talking out the remaining half, Sai included, leaving nothing but broken bodies in his wake.

Danzou was shocked. The twenty men that accompanied him were the pick of the litter, and the mystery man and his entourage had taken them down without breaking a sweat! In desperation, he removed his bandages that covered his Implanted Sharingan, only to find that his trump card had no effect, forcing the warhawk to fight the Man in Black in a sword duel. Five minutes later, Danzou himself joined his ROOT in unconsciousness.

In Spring Country, the first-generation Ino-Shika-Cho trio confronted the mystery man while he was visiting the Spring Damiyo/actress Yukie Fujikaze...and were soundly defeated, if not just as fast as their offspring. In Tea Country, it was Rock Lee, Neji Hyuuga and Tenten, who had seen the man while one of his Elite Guards was competing in a martial arts tournament.

Out of Team Gai, Tenten got off pretty light with several angry welts from when she was smacked repeatedly with the flat side of the man's katana. Rock Lee and the man would later fight in a Taijutsu match, and despite Lee's best efforts, was also defeated. Neji would go on to fight him, sprouting that fate has deemed him the winner.

"You deserve praise for making it this far," Neji had said before their fight. "But your luck ends here. As it is fate for me to be a member of the branch family of the Hyuuga, fate as deemed me as the winner. I will defeat you and bring you back to Konoha."

"I never got this far by living my life bound to fate," the Man in Black replied. "Fate and honor are designed for one thing. They are designed by weak people to keep the strong in line. There is no such thing as fate. There is only choice. The choice to do what is right. The choice to make your own destiny."

"You lie. No one can change their fate. There was one who said the same thing...but he turned out to be a demon in disguise. You will see soon enough. I will show you why I am considered the best in the Hyuuga clan."

The Man in Black had sighed. "At first, I was just going to fight you. Now...I'm gonna kick your ass."

In the ensuing battle, the Emperor would send the Hyuuga prodigy to the hospital along with his teammates, the Hyuuga prodigy getting the worst of the beatdown.

"Heh," the Man in Black chuckled as Neji had lost consciousness. "You claimed to be the best, but you fell like the rest."

Near the Lightning border, Asuma Sarutobi, now recovered from his injuries, along with Shino and Shibi Aburame came across the Man in Black. Fortunately for them, they did not fight him, having decided to hide in the shadows as they watched the Man in Black fight both Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. The two Akatsuki had been given new orders from Nagato, seeing as how Naruto has disappeared: retrieve the renegade Mist jinchuuriki Utakata.

The three Konoha jounin watched as the Man in Black, supported by three of his Elite Guards, faced down the renegade Uchiha and his partner. Or rather, the Man in Black did. It was during this battle that the three had gotten some vital information about their opponent. One, his sword had the ability to split in two. Two, it was more than a match for Kisame's Samehada. Three, Itachi's Magenkyou Sharingan proved to be ineffective against the Man in Black.

It also explained the reason why the Sharingan was not effective to Danzou.

"Nice try, Uchiha," the Man in Black had said. "Your Mangenkyou is no match for my bloodline, if I can be so modest. Not only it increases the power of my jutsu and seals to rival the power of the Legendary Sages, it also makes me immune from all forms of genjutsu..including your dreaded Tsukyomi. This can end in two ways. And in both of them, the Rokubi jinchuuriki comes with me."

"You make it sound like we have no choice," was Itachi's reply.

"You don't," the Man in Black replied as if he was asking the time. "It's my way, or...ah, screw it, it's my way."

Itachi and Kisame then attacked. But since Samehada had to absorb chakra to be effective, it ended up draining Kisame's chakra, allowing him to be dispatched quickly. Then he fought Itachi. Asuma and the two Aburame saw that the man was merely toying with the fallen Uchiha, Itachi having been forced to fight since his trump card was ineffective. Then the man ended the battle by catching Itachi with chakra-absorbing chains. With both Itachi and his partner immobilized, the Man in Black made his retreat with his Elite Guards and his prize, but not before promising Itachi that the next time they meet, he will personally kill him. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, the three jounin retreated back to Konoha.

The man was later seen in Hot Water Country. Tsunade dispatched the Inuzuka Matriarch and her son, along with Kakashi Hatake to bring the Man in Black in. This was the only time that the Emperor has fought back so...**viciously**.

Both Tsume and Kiba performed their beast mimicry, transforming Kuromaru and Akamaru into clones of themselves, while Kakashi summoned five shadow clones. The two Inuzuka and Kakashi found out the hard way that the man was very skilled in Taijutsu. First, he disposed of Kuromaru and Akamaru in a specialized net created to drain chakra, before turning his attention to the three jounin.

In the end, Kiba ended up with a broken nose and jaw. Tsume also had a broken nose and a broken collarbone. But Kakashi had it the worst. Six broken ribs, his jaw and nose broken, one ruptured eyesocket, his right hand and leg broken, and the Emperor's boot up his ass. Literally. The three ninja were found by a backup group of ANBU and had to be carried back to Konoha. Kakashi was unable to sit right for three weeks.

With the Inuzukas and Kakashi down for the count, it was up to Anko Mitarashi, Maito Gai and Hiashi Hyuuga. This time around, a ten-man squad of ANBU came along to assist, after the epic beatdown that the Inuzukas and Kakashi had endured, Tsunade wasn't leaving nothing to chance. The battle took place inside the ruins of the Whirlpool Village in Wave Country.

Only this time, the Emperor's Elite Guards were with him as the Emperor investigated the ruins. The first thing that the snake mistress, the Taijutsu master and the Hyuuga clan head found out was that the man was of noble blood, as his family was of the Whirlpool ruling family, something that Hiashi could respect. The second was that despite having superior numbers, his Elite Guards had literally dismantled the ANBU that were sent in. Anko, Hiashi and Gai would fall, thus adding to the mystery man's tally of defeated Konoha ninja.

In desperation, the council had once again circumvented Tsunade's authority and reactivated Sasuke Uchiha to active duty. It was during the Chuunin Exams in Suna that Sasuke had faced off against the Man in Black, who was there as Gaara's guest. Despite being the Uchiha Elite, Sasuke lost...but not before the man had revealed his identity to him.

"I am the sovereign ruler of the Unified West," he had whispered. "The Maverick Emperor...the Crimson Fury of the Empire," the man had said right before knocking him out cold.

Upon returning to Konoha, the battered Uchiha gave his report to the council. Naturally, the council did not believe him. Only when a visiting Pekara merchant had verified Sasuke's testimony, did Konoha backed off. The last thing they wanted was an irate Emperor declaring war over a misunderstanding. A war which could easily lead to Konoha's destruction.

The one thing Sasuke found strange about the Emperor was the fact that he knew exactly how the Konoha ninja fought. He outsmarted both generations of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, took apart Danzou and his ROOT ANBU, countered the Hyuuga's Jyuuken, outfought both Gai and Lee, brutally took down both the Inuzuka Matriarch and her son, sent Kakashi to the hospital numerous broken bones and the inability not to sit straight for several weeks, left Anko with a concussion, and was able to defeat even himself in battle. Even more amazing was that he defeated Itachi and his partner, something that even he was unable to do.

After talking it over with Shikamaru and his father, all three came to the same conclusion. The Emperor was highly skilled in weapons combat, as well as ninjitsu and taijutsu. His fighting style was direct, professional, and in some cases, incredibly brutal, designed to maim or even kill, and his tactical prowess was flawless, meaning that the Emperor could easily be a SS-rank criminal with an order to flee-on-sight should he was placed inside the Bingo Book. But the Emperor was holding back in all of his fights. It showed that the Emperor was courteous enough not to kill them, but showed that he was the wrong person to cross in a fight.

Unknown to Sasuke, both Shikamaru and his father had suspected that the Emperor could have spies in Fire Country, which explained how he was able to defeat them so easily. Or maybe the Emperor himself was connected to Konoha in some way. Shikaku had ordered his son to keep silent on the matter, until they got some more proof concerning the Man in Black.

Unfortunately, the Akatsuki did not get the memo. When the Akatsuki had invaded Suna two years earlier, the Western Empire came to Suna's aid. The battle lasted for only three hours, but in the end, the Akatsuki was routed and destroyed to the last man. The Jinchuuriki that the Emperor had retrieved had played a major part in the battle, not to mention that two of the founding members of the Akatsuki had fought on the Emperor's side. Since the Akatsuki desired the power of the Tailed Beasts, the Emperor simply gave it to them...in spades.

Sasuke was among the ten Konoha ninja along with Tsunade, Asuma, Kakashi and Ino that went to Suna to offer aid in an attempt to get back on their good side, only to find that the battle was over. Despite the fact that over half of Suna was left in ruins, all Akatsuki members - from Nagato, who had been corrupted, to Madara Uchiha himself - were killed. However, before throwing the Konoha ninja out, Sasuke was allowed to see the body of his brother, Itachi Uchiha.

Sasuke was of mixed motions when he saw the body of Itachi next to that of Madara. The murderer of the Uchiha clan was finally slain, but he was upset that he did not do the deed. Now, he truly was the last of the Uchiha.

One memory stood out in particular. He saw the Emperor, who was clad entirely in black, complete with a solid black kage's hat to conceal his face walking alongside a shorter woman, her face concealed by a conical straw hat and Gaara in his battle uniform. When Tsunade asked who the mystery man was, their escort, who just so happened to be a battered and bruised Konohamaru Sarutobi, now Maru Sarutobi and a Suna chuunin, simply said that he was the Western Emperor, the woman was his wife, and an ally to Suna.

"I don't like it," Hiashi Hyuuga said. "Why the Empire? We know close to nothing about their military, let alone their resources or economy. What if the Emperor refuses? Or forces Konoha to serve him?"

Everyone inside the council chambers knew that Hiashi Hyuuga was a proud man. Too proud. His distrust of the Emperor ran deep. The battle down at the Whirlpool Ruins had all but knocked him off his glorified pedestal, leaving him even more colder and more bitter. He thought that just because he was the clan leader, that he could easily do what his nephew - a member of the branch family - couldn't.

"The flaw of your own power is arrogance," The Emperor had told him...right before punching the word **JERK** into his forehead.

This was after when he explained to Anko the reason why Hinata was not out here was that she was still a weakling in his eyes. The only time Hiashi could leave the compound afterward was when he had his forehead covered. It took three weeks for the bruise to finally fade. Anko - despite her own injuries - always rubbed it in the face of the stoic Hyuuga, that he was better off behind the desk instead of out in the field.

But the biggest slap to the face up to date was during the Chuunin Exams in Suna. His daughter, Hanabi Hyuuga, called the 'Darling of the Hyuuga Clan,' faced off against Maru Sarutobi. In a climatic battle not seen in many years, it was the Sandaime's grandson who had defeated his daughter. It didn't help that Sarutobi had used her arrogance against her, or that he was able to steal his grandfather's summoning contract before he had left for Suna.

It was later revealed that Sarutobi and his two friends were personally trained by the Emperor himself, at the Kazakage's request. Hiashi was incensed at this loss of face. Second, was the fact that Hinata had defected from Konoha following the conclusion of the Chuunin Exams. Upon returning to Konoha, he had received Hinata's hitai-ate and a message from the courier ninja: Hinata has defected from both Konoha and the Leaf. Hanabi capitalized on this by convincing the Hyuuga Elders to place a bounty on her head. Hinata was also placed inside the Bingo Book as a A-ranked missing ninja.

It would be a year later before Hinata would resurface. When she did, she was with the Empire. In Hot Water Country, Neji and Hanabi Hyuuga would encounter her after she had beaten ten of the Hyuuga Main Branch ninja. Hiashi remembered that incident all too well. Those ten main branch members were the ones who had ridiculed Hinata and harassed Hinata when she was given the Caged Bird Seal and shoved into the Cadet Branch. When Neji and Hanabi found them, not only did Hinata had beaten them, but she had also branded the most senior member with the Caged Bird Seal in retaliation.

Said Hyuuga had chosen to commit suicide rather than to live with the disgrace.

Hours later, Neji and Hanabi encountered the former heiress. Assuming that against Hinata, Neji and Hanabi had an easy win. But Hinata knew the Jyuuken style better than anyone. In fact, in her absence, Hiashi would later find out that she had purged it of all its flaws and weaknesses, and proceeded to beat down Hanabi, while unleashing the 128 Palms on Neji as a measure of payback from the Chuunin Exams. She then had Hanabi deliver a challenge to her ex-father. Hiashi accepted.

The battle had taken place in Wave Country. Hiashi was certain as Hyuuga clan head, that he would win.

He was wrong. His encounter with his missing daughter had left him even more bitter...and crippled.

He had severely underestimated Hinata, and paid for it. The one person who he thought was worthless had all but decimated him. First, by using the 128 Palms on him, then by shattering his leg. He would never be an active ninja again. The fact that it was Hinata that had did it had angered him to no end. The end result was an increase on the bounty on Hinata's head.

However, the Emperor retaliated by placing a bounty not on Hiashi's head, but on Hanabi. And it was three times as much as the bounty on Hinata's head. Fearing that even the Konoha ninja would take his remaining heir, Hiashi decided to back down and the bounties on Hinata and Hanabi were lifted.

"Your discord is duly noted, Hyuuga," Tsunade remarked. "Still, Adviser Uchiha does have a point. Should we get the Emperor on our side, then this war could end before it can start. What else do we know about him, aside from the fact that he took out most of our seasoned Jounin and clan heads?"

"I was at the Pekara Merchant House at the Capital," Asuma began, "and from what I've heard about the Emperor is that he treats his visitors with great care and respect. Despite being only around nineteen, he is a brilliant politician and handles all foreign affairs personally. Given the fact that they have merchant houses all over, their economy is excellent. He also has a reputation for honor and fairness. So much so that Waterfall and Smoke, both traditional enemies, appealed to him to settle a dispute."

"Can't hurt to try," Tsunade said. "I will summon Captains Hatake and Sarutobi and have them lead an envoy from here to the West. Any other business?"

Silence.

"This meeting is adjourned."

* * *

><p>"No."<p>

"Naruto, please..."

"I said no," Naruto snapped. "Have you any idea what you're asking me to do, Jiraiya? You're asking me to defend a place that saw me as the Nine-Tails, instead of the hero my father wanted me to be. If anything, I'll be glad to see the snake and his buddies raze that damned place to the ground just so I can piss on the ashes."

Jiraiya blinked. "You know that Orochimaru is planning to attack?"

The young emperor nodded. "You're not the only one with an impressive spy network, Jiraiya. That was one of the things I picked up from you. Ever notice those merchant houses that surfaced recently?"

The Toad Sage nodded. "The Pekara Merchant House? I've seen them around."

"Aside from serving as a mercantile guild, some of them also serve as spies serving my Empire," Naruto explained. "I got locations in Suna, Kumo, Iwa and even in the Fire Capital. The ones in Kumo and Iwa contain my spy network. Kumo overthrew A three years earlier. I rescued both him and Bee and offered them sanctuary here."

"Whether you like it nor not, there is another war on the horizon," Jiraiya replied. "A Fourth Shinobi War. And if Orochimaru or Iwa find out who you are, they will come for you. I know you want to protect your people and country, kid, but you can't fight fate."

Naruto scoffed. "You sound a lot like Neji. He said the same thing during the chuunin exams, and down in Tea Country. There is no such thing as fate. There is only choice. It was Kokoha's choice to banish me. It was Tsunade's choice to reveal my secret to the Konoha 11. And it was my choice to unify the lands."

"And you got a choice now," the Toad Sage said in a calm voice, not noticing that Hinata has slipped inside the throne room. "The choice to prove that you are better than Konoha. The choice to prove that you are better than me. I know you, kid. You never let your hatred cloud your judgment, nor you never left your people in their darkest hour." He approached the throne and placed one hand on his former student's shoulder. "Prove it to Konoha. Prove it to them that you are not what they say you are."

Naruto brushed Jiraiya's hand off his shoulder and turned away. Jiraiya did bring up some good points, but his bad experiences in Konoha far outweighed the good. He fought in the Suna-Sand invasion and was still scorned. He brought Tsunade to Konoha to be the Godaime, and was shunned. To top it off, he retrieved Sasuke Uchiha and was rewarded with banishment - backed by both the civilian and shinobi councils, and betrayed by those he thought were friends.

All except Hinata.

"What about Hinata? Are you willing to let her die?"

Naruto's response was simple. "Why don't you ask her that yourself. She's right behind you."

Jiraiya turned around and found himself face-to-face with a smug Empress Consort. Even more surprising was that he could sense her chakra levels. Since Jiraiya was a sage, he recognized that aura as one of sage-like power.

Another thing that Jiraiya noticed was that Hinata looked...well, hot. With beauty like that, men were more than willing to go to war for.

"Hello, Toad Sage," Hinata greeted dryly, taking note of the red handprint on his neck. "You're the one from Fire Country, I take it?"

"Wha...Hinata...how...?"

"I think I should explain," Naruto said as Hinata walked passed him and took a seat on the throne. "Two years ago, Suna was hosting the Chuunin Exams. Gaara had asked me to train Maru, Moegi and Udon for the exams. Hinata was there along with Kiba and Sakura..."

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Sunagakure no Sato, Wind Country - two years earlier..._

_From his position Naruto watched the confrontation near the village's gates. He recognized Team Kurenai as well as Sakura and Kakashi, the older people were acting as chaperones for the Konoha genin participating in the tournament. _

_"We might not be able to see how the genin are doing until tomorrow," Kiba had said to Hinata. "How about once we get settled in, we check out the sights?"_

_Hinata was starting to get irritated. "For the last time, Kiba my answer is no."_

_It was at that moment, Kiba exploded. The dog ninja grabbed Hinata and forcibly spun her around. _

_"Why do you still care for that demon?" Kiba shouted. "He was banished because he is the Kyuubi incarnate! You heard Tsunade yourself! He can't come back, and if he does, I'll kill him myself!"_

_From his hiding spot, Naruto's eye twitched. He was about ready to neuter the dog lover when Hinata quickly responded._

_**WHAM!**_

_Kiba staggered back from Hinata, the latter having smashed her palm into his breastplace, causing him to double over and lose his lunch over the deck._

_"Touch me again, Inuzuka, and I'll do more than make you puke your guts out," Hinata said, her voice like steel. "Get it through your thick skull. I don't like you that way."_

_Before Kiba could try to respond, Sakura decided to give it a try. "Hinata...you need to let go. Face facts. Naruto will not...no, cannot return to Konoha," she said, placing one hand on the former heiress' shoulder. "He's not welcome there anymore. Not after what he did to Sasuke."_

_Hinata brushed Sakura's hand off her shoulder. "That's rich, coming from you. He was only banished because he did his job," she replied, staring down the young medic-in-training. "You of all people should have been trying to defend him, since he saved your life twice. But you chose to kiss the Uchiha's ass like the fangirl that you are. You...Kiba...Ino...Neji...Shikamaru...and everyone else...all of you betrayed him. That's why he is not welcome there anymore. Excuse me."_

_Naruto watched as Hinata stomped off in the direction of the hotel. A small smile crept across his lips. Even after all this time, Hinata had defended him. Ignoring the screaming Sakura as Kakashi and Shino held her back, Naruto made his way back to the Imperial Consulate to prepare._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p>"It was the same time that Sasuke challenged me to combat," Naruto continued. "As you probably know, I've had past encounters with the Konoha ninja following the incident with the Akatsuki attacking the Fire Temple. I tailed Hinata for the past couple of days, getting her schedule down. Wasn't easy, but I managed to use one of my courier ninja to summon her to the Imperial Consulate"<p>

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Imperial Consulate - Sunagakaure Branch._

_Hinata showed the scroll containing the Imperial insignia - a fox head with a swirling whirlpool in the background. - to the guards at the front gate, and they allowed her to pass without incident. Hinata was led to the reception room, where Naruto awaited her arrival._

_The one thought that was going through Hinata's mind was who would want anything to do with her, especially one from the Western Empire. Of course, that train of thought came to a halt when she was led into the reception room, where she came face-to-face with the Man in Black, the same one that has beaten down the majority of the Konoha 11, several clan heads (her father included), special jounin and one meddling warhawk and his personal ROOT ANBU._

_His face hidden under the black Kage-style cap, Naruto sent Hinata's escort away. Turning to Hinata, he said, "Do you know who I am?"_

_Hinata nodded. "Yes. You're the one that has beaten most of Konoha's top ninja," she replied, not recognizing Naruto._

_"It's a bit more...complicated than that, Hinata," Naruto replied, one hand reaching for his hat. _

_Hinata's eyes went wide as she recognized Konoha's most hated ninja. The same one that she had defended all these years. The whisker-like marks were gone, he was taller, and his hair had taken on a reddish hue, but it was still Naruto._

_"Naruto..."_

_Naruto nodded, smiling broadly. "Yeah. It's me, Hinata."_

_Hinata's reaction was instant. She lunged at Naruto and ensnared him in a bear-hug, not wanting to let him go. She had nearly given up hope that he was still alive. But here he was, alive and in the employ of the Western Empire._

_Naruto returned the hug, his chin on the top of Hinata's head. "It's okay, Hinata. It's okay." _

_After prying Hinata away from him, the former genin-turned-Emperor and the former heiress took a seat on the couch._

_"Hinata...I owe you an apology," Naruto began. "Had I known that you felt the way you did about me back in Konoha, I would have spent more time with you rather than chasing after Sakura."_

_"You were young then," Hinata pointed out._

_"I'm still young," Naruto pointed out. He then noticed something. Narrowing his eyes, he reached for Hinata. _

_Hinata, sensing what Naruto was planning on doing, grabbed his wrist, and turned away, looking ashamed. "No...Naruto..."_

_Naruto could only guess. "Show me."_

_Almost hesitantly, Hinata turned back to him and lifted her bangs. Naruto's eyes widened in horror as to what was on her forehead._

_The Caged Bird Seal._

_"Hiashi did this, didn't he?" Naruto's voice was as cold as ice._

_Hinata nodded, the tears flowing freely. "Last year. Hanabi, at the council's urging, invoked her Rite of Challenge and challenged me. I lost and Fa...no, Hiashi branded me and shoved me into the cadet branch. He said that not only am I worthless as a heir, but the clan has shown weakness because I supported you. The Main Branch sees me as worthless and the cadet branch is just as bad."_

_That was all that Hinata had managed to say before she broke down completely. Naruto allowed her to cry into his shoulder. He held her until she finally calmed down. _

_Meanwhile, Naruto was thinking all the ways that he could torture and maim the Hyuuga Clan there was one way that he could stick it to Hiashi and the rest of those stuck-up snobs in the Main Branch._

_Hinata found herself being gently pulled to her feet. Once Naruto had smoothed her hair back, exposing the seal, he brought his hands together, as if he was praying._

_"Naruto...?"_

_"Shh...stand still and trust me, okay?"_

_Hinata nodded and closed her eyes._

_Naruto focused in on the seal on Hinata's forehead. Then he went through handseals. Slowly at first, but then they began to pick up speed. Naruto then pressed his index and middle finger at the center of the seal. "Release," he said._

_Hinata felt a slight heat on her forehead, a stark contrast as to the bone-wrenching pain she had to endure when she was branded the first place. Then, the sensation was gone. _

_"You can open your eyes now," Naruto said as he retrieved one of Hinata's kunai from her pouch and raised it to her face._

_There, Hinata could see that there was no seal on her forehead. It was no henge either. The Caged Bird Seal, thought by the Main Branch clan to be irremovable, was removed._

_"What...how?" Hinata asked, astonished._

_"I'm a seal master," Naruto explained smiling broadly. "So something like the Caged Bird Seal is easy for me to remove." His tone was modest, rather than being a boast._

_He was rewarded with another glomp from Hinata. "Thank you...just...thank you..."_

_After a moment, Naruto gently pulled away from Hinata. "You know you can't go back to Konoha, or to your clan," he said, his tone serious. "If Hiashi sees that you no longer have the seal, he will either re-brand you or worse."_

_Hinata nodded. "I know," she replied softly. Before Naruto could ask her to come with him, she beat him to the punch. "Naruto...take me with you. I got nothing back home. Please take me with you."_

_"You want to go back West with me?"_

_"Yes. From the look of things, you seem to be pretty connected there. Do you know the Emperor? Will he grant me asylum?"_

_It was then that Hinata received the third shock of her life. _

_"Of course I know the Emperor," Naruto replied. "The Emperor is me, Hime."_

_Hinata looked at Naruto as if he had grown a second head. "The...Emperor...is...you...?" she managed to squeak out right before doing the one thing she hadn't done since Naruto's banishment. _

_She fainted._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p>"After that, I allowed Hinata to remain inside the consulate," Naruto concluded. "From what I've heard the Konoha ninja combed the entire village looking for her, overlooking the fact that she was inside the consulate. After I defeated Sasuke, Hinata and I left for home...after I punched Hiashi out again."<p>

"Huh," Jiraiya grunted. He then noticed the wedding band on Naruto's ring finger and the diamond ring on Hinata's own. "So...married, huh?"

"Two years," Hinata replied, looking at Naruto, smiling.

"So Naruto's the Emperor, so that makes you..." Jiraiya began.

"Her Imperial Highness, Empress Consort Hinata Namikaze," a voice from behind Jiraiya said.

Jiraiya turned around. Standing behind him, having just entered the throne room, was a woman. Standing at Naruto's height with curves and a bosom that could only be matched by Tsunade herself. Long red hair was tied into a single bun, with two braids poking out from said bun, the braids ending at the small of her back. Her attire consisted of a formal yukata; red with a black lotus pattern. Green eyes scanned both the Emperor and the perverted sage, who stood mesmerized by her beauty. Beauty that men would simply go to war for.

"She is also one of the best students in the senjutsu arts I have ever come across," the woman said.

"Senjutsu...Hinata's a Sage?" Jiraiya said.

"Third Fox Sage," the woman replied. Turning to Naruto she addressed him. "I've heard from A that someone from Fire County showed up. Never thought it would be the perv. I thought neither you nor Hinata would want anything to do with them again."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I wasn't expecting him to show up," he replied in his own defense, as Jiraiya pulled out his notebook, intending on using the woman for research for his next Icha Icha novel.

However, the woman stopped him. "You haven't changed, Toad Sage. Even after twenty years."

Jiraya stopped. "You know me?"

The woman smiled meanly. Jiraiya took notice of the elongated canines in her mouth. "Of course. The last time we met, I made a stop at a certain village in Fire Country."

As she said that, nine tails emerged from her backside.

Nine crimson fox tails, which waved lazily around her as if they had a life of their own.

"The name's Kitami Akashiya," she introduced herself. "Chief Prime Minister of the Western Empire. But you know me by my official title - Kyuubi no Youkou, the Nine-Tailed Fox."

* * *

><p>Konoha, The Hokage's Office.<p>

Tsunade Senju sat behind her desk, Shizune standing beside and to the side of her, Tonton in her arms. Standing before the Godaime was a six-ninja team consisting of six Jounin. A team she hoped was the salvation of the Leaf. Four of them were part of the original Konoha 11, but she had chosen each of them for a different reason.

First up, was the team leader, ANBU member and former sensei of the now-defunct Cell Seven, Kakashi Hatake. Wielder of the Sharingan - a memento from his late teammate Obito Uchiha - he was a master of over a thousand jutsu, and the former sensei of the banished Naruto Uzumaki.

Kurenai Yuuhi Saturobi was the former Captain of Cell Eight. The wife of Asuma Sarutobi, she was Konoha's chief genjutsu master, capable of confusing the enemy with her illusions.

The double team of Kiba Inuzuka and his giant dog Akamaru were also a valued asset to the team, and his rank of Jounin proved that. He was also the first to turn against Naruto when it became known that he was the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, having taken the side of his mother and sister.

For recon, Shino Aburame was Tsunade's next choice. His chakra-eating bugs would prove quite useful for the mission ahead.

Next up was Tsunade's apprentice, Ino Yamanaka. One-third of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, she had proven to be one of the best medic-ninjas ever produced by the Leaf. Originally, both Ino and Sakura Haruno were apprenticed to Tsunade, but when it became clear that Ino was proving to be the better student, Sakura was furious. It was after this that Sakura's ninja career began to suffer, despite the fact that Tsunade had given them equal time together. Then, following her defeat at the hands of Hinata Namikaze, Sakura became a liability.

Sakura's pride would eventually be her downfall, as she had assaulted a Chuunin, thinking that she was Ino. In response to the assault, Tsunade had terminated Sakura's apprenticeship under her and revoked her ninja registration. Not even Sakura's mother, whose influence was strong on the civilian side, could sway the vote in her favor, since the incident happened in full view of the Fire Damiyo.

Last, was Shikamaru Nara. Aside from being a master strategist, the slacker had somehow made Jounin and under his father's tutelage, was an expert in politics, making him the perfect man for the job.

"Reporting as ordered, Lady Hokage," Kakashi said.

Tsunade didn't waste no time in explaining. "This is a SS-ranked mission. It is apparent that Konoha will soon be attacked by Oto, Iwa and Kumo. We cannot survive this war without any help. That is why you are going to the Western Empire to seek an audience with the Emperor, to try to get him to aid us in this war. If not, then Konoha will fall."

This was a surprise to those assembled. No one in Konoha had ventured to the West since the First Hokage was in office, due to the ongoing wars. This was pretty new for them. All they heard was that someone abound their age had unified the lands and was made Emperor. On top of that, the Empire had alliances with both Suna and Mist, which could prove invaluable for the war ahead.

"The future of the Leaf hangs in the balance," Tsunade said. "Which is why you must not fail. Travel through the neutral countries. Do not attract any unwanted attention. You leave now."

The gathered ninja bowed in response. As they began to leave the room, Tsunade ordered Kakashi and Kurenai to remain behind. Once the younger ninja were gone, Tsunade addressed Kakashi and Kurenai. "I did not want to say anything in front of the others, but the both of you have a secondary mission. If you come across Naruto in your mission..."

Kakashi nodded, as did Kurenai. "We will ask him to come back to Konoha," Kakashi said.

"Are you sure that he would want to come back, after what was done to him?" Kurenai asked. "But would the council accept it?"

"In a state of emergency, even my word can override the will of the council," Tsunade explained. "Tell him if you see him...that I am offering him a pardon and safe passage back to Konoha should he chose to return and fight for the Leaf."

"That's not what worries me," Kakashi said. "We betrayed him...chose Sasuke over him...for all purposes, he may never forgive us, let alone Konoha for what we did."

"Still," Tsunade said, "we have to try. Dismissed."

Kakashi and Kurenai departed from the room.


	4. Side Story: Alliances and Paybacks Pt 1

**Side Chapter: Alliances and Payback, Part 1**

Snafu's Notes: I revised Naruto's profile and edited the chapters, adding Hinata to them. Feel free to look. Also, this will be the first of several side stories detailing certain events in Naruto: Rise of the Emperor. The first part will deal with Naruto making alliances with Suna and Mist, as well as training Maru Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon. The second and third parts will deal with Naruto's plan to unite the Jinchuuriki against the Akatsuki and his run-ins with the Konoha ninja, concluding with the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna and its aftermath.

**About the Elite Guards:** Following Naruto's ascension to Emperor, Sonshi had warned him that as Emperor, he will always be a target for those opposed to his rule. Naruto's first order was the creation of an elite group of warriors, both samurai and shinobi to serve as his bodyguards. The number originally was at six, but with the arrival of Yahiko and Konan, the number grew to eight. Each member of the Elite Guard are classified as S-Rank combatants and are tough enough to face down even the most battle-hardened Jounin, Danzou's ROOT ANBU or even the Akatsuki. When Hinata becomes Naruto's wife and the Empress Consort, four of the Elite Guards are assigned to protect her.

The Imperial Complex - Office of the Emperor, one year after the Unification Wars...

"Aagh...I don't see how the old man can go through with this when he was alive. If I knew that being Emperor had this much paperwork, I'd have refused."

Inside the Office of the Emperor, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze was seated behind his desk. The sixteen-year-old former Konoha jinchuuriki-turned-Emperor was at the moment going through the bane of his existence - paperwork.

Fortunately for him, most of the paperwork was already completed, as he was hard at work reading and signing them off. Most of them were minor and petty disputes. One major perk about being the Emperor was that there was less paperwork than that of the Hokage. The young Emperor paused for a moment to regard a picture of himself when he was younger, taken back in Konoha. A picture of himself and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage. The picture was taken shortly before the Chuunin Exams, Naruto wearing the Kage hat and grinning like a maniac while 'The Professor' smiled, pipe in his mouth. Next to that picture was a photo of his parents, Minato and Kushinna Namiakze.

'Old man...you would be proud,' Naruto thought, smiling fondly at the memory. 'I may not be Hokage, but the people look up to me...respect me as a leader.' He then turned to the photo of his parents. 'I hope you two are proud of me. I promised to make good to honor your memories. And I've kept that promise.'

One year had passed since the Unification War. The Empire has just celebrated its first anniversary, Naruto celebrating his first year as a leader of the Unified West. Since that time, Naruto has settled into his role as Emperor of the West. Despite this, he never lost track as to who he once was. Kitami, Yugito, Zabuza and Sonshi made sure of that. He didn't see himself as a ninja or a samurai. More like a combination of the two.

One document attracted his attention. It was from his informants located in Water Country. Apparently, there was a new Mizukage in power, and she had ended the bloodline wars which had plagued the country. Even more surprising was the fact of who was currently the Kazekage of Suna.

"Well, I'll be...Gaara's the new Kazekage," Naruto muttered to himself, smiling broadly, reading the report from the Pekara Branch in Suna. He looked at his watch.

Five minutes before the meeting of the Council. This could prove to be quite interesting indeed.

The Emperor rose from his seat. Retrieving his jacket and slipping it over his shoulders (i.e., his Shippuden uniform, only all black), he exited the office, making sure to take the reports on Mist and Suna with him.

* * *

><p>The meeting was straight-forward. Aside from a uprising of malcontents loyal to Oda which was quickly crushed before it could gain steam, and the financial situation concerning the southern badlands, there was nothing worthy to report. Good thing that they only met three times a month.<p>

The council hall inside the Hall of Sovereigns was as big as the council chambers back inside Konoha. The council chambers consisted of three long tables; the first containing the seats of the Emperor and his chief prime minister. Two tables located on either side of the Emperor's table faced each other, each containing six seats for either side.

Six of the members were hand-picked by Naruto himself, while the other six were voted in by the people of the Western Empire. The six that Naruto had chosen were from the West's most respected samurai and shinobi clans. Emperor Namikaze sat at the head of the table. Kitami sat at his left, the council, not to mention the people of the West knowing full well about the redheaded woman's true nature. The council hall inside the Hall of Sovereigns was as big as the council chambers back inside Konoha. The council chambers consisted of three long tables; the first containing the seats of the Emperor and his prime minister. Two tables located on either side of the Emperor's table faced each other.

On Naruto's left: Sonshi, the elder samurai warrior and philosopher who had taught Naruto the ways of the samurai. In his youth, as Naruto had found out, he had fought Hiruzen Satutobi to a draw and had respected Naruto's father figure a great deal, and grieved silently when Naruto had told him about his unfortunate passing. During the Unification War, he had invited Naruto to his village and Naurto became so impressed with the old man, that he asked to be trained in the ways of the samurai. When the Empire was created, he was the first that Naruto had invited to be on the council. Despite his old age, Sonshi was well-respected by samurai and ninja alike. His granddaughter, Sana Sonshi, who was a member of Yugito's Hellcats, served as part of Naruto's Elite Guards.

Next was Eiji Kibagami, also from a respected samurai clan with connections in Iron Country, as he had family there, which was helpful when Naruto negotiated a trade agreement between the Empire and Iron. A hard-punching, hard-drinking samurai with a mouth that would make Tayuya blush and Hidan green with envy, he was the first to join up with Naruto in his ambition. Despite being a foul-mouthed samurai, he was fiercely loyal to the young Emperor, honorable and carried himself as a true samurai. It was also a known fact that he and Kasumi Aihara were romantically involved. His pet wolf, Bijoumaru was at his side. Like Sonshi, Eiji had a member of his family as part of the Elite Guard - his nephew Hideo Kibagami served proudly.

Next to Kibagami was the the head of the Chiba clan, Kouda Chiba. The Chiba clan was a line of ninja who practiced a deadlier style of Taijutsu that would put even Rock Lee and Maito Gai to shame, the Taijutsu used originally as an assassination technique. Like Sonshi's granddaughter and Eiji's son, her eldest son, Takuma, served as one of Naruto's Elite Guards, a high honor for the Chiba Clan. In most ways, the Chiba clan reminded Naruto of the Inuzuka - fiercely loyal to the pack.

Sitting next to Kouda was her childhood friend and fellow ninja, Kokoro Yamada. The eldest daughter of a former nobleman and a Mist refugee, she was the diametric opposite of Zabuza's partner Haku, as her attacks were fire release attacks. In an interesting sidenote, her bloodline allows her to endure an opponent's fire attacks unscathed. The Yamada clan also had a reputation for being top-notch healers whose skill rivaled that of Tsunade in her prime.

Next to the fire-wielding mistress was the regal Kasumi Aihara. The Aihara was the most powerful samurai clan on the southern continent (in both influence and skill), and aside from the elderly Sonshi who resided on the northern continent, was one of Naruto's major supporters. Kasumi herself was a legendary warrior in her own right, having led troops into battle. Every once in a while, she would propose a marriage between her eldest daughter and Naruto, of which Naruto had graciously declined. He told Lady Aihara that he would marry for love, not for honor or prestige. That, Lady Aihara could understand, as she and her late husband were the same. When her husband was killed by Oda's hand, he was about to claim Aihara for his own. Thankfully, Naruto's arrival put a stop to those plans.

Seated next to Aihara was the head of the Okajima Ninja Clan, Hayate Okajima. Nicknamed 'The Tengu' because of his habit of wearing a Tengu mask to battle, the Okajima clan were skilled in ninjitsu, assassination techniques and recon and were the natural rivals of the Shainto clan, who favored open combat over covert assassinations. Naruto had approached the Okajima clan head for an alliance. Hayate was impressed by the boy's bravado and tenacity that he signed on to Naruto's side. Once the War was over, Naruto had returned to the Okajima clan their lands which were taken from them by one of the more corrupt Damiyos. In return, the entire Okajima clan swore their eternal loyalty to their new Emperor.

On Naruto's right: Ryuji Shinzen and his wife Haruka Shinzen, the heads of the Western Empire's premier mercantile guild, Pekara Merchant House. Ryuji was originally a mercenary ninja, while Haruka had a gift for business and management, they were the first to back Naruto in his ambition financially following the death of Rokubungi Oda. When the Unification Wars had reached its conclusion, they created the merchant houses which had two purposes; providing imported and exported items across the Empire and in the East, while at the same time, keeping a close eye on the more unruly villages in the East. Thanks to Naruto, they now had branches all over the country, as well as several locations in the East, some of which served for gathering intel, as in Iwa, Fire Country and Kumo.

Next was Shinoda Wakaba, former pirate captain, now a close business partner and longtime friend with the Shinzens, since his ten-boat fleet was originally used to harass and plunder both Oda's and his allies' supplies. It was Haruka who had pointed out the perks in having a fleet of ships backing up his ambition to Naruto. Now, with the war over, the fleet was now used to transport goods all over the continent, as well as in the elemental countries. In an interesting sidenote, the Shinzens and Wakaba were both in-laws, since the Shinzen's son had married Wakaba's daughter, which had brought their families into a close alliance.

Seated next to Wakaba was Katsumoto Kitahara. A Damiyo from the Southern Region who supported the people and working class, he was overthrown by a power-mad Warlord and condemned to wander the lands, until Naruto found him. He was one of the key members in the civilian council in which thanks to Katsumoto, that his major support base was the civilians themselves. Katsumoto's lands were restored unto him, as well as his title as a reward for his service and loyalty.

Next to Wakaba was Shin Akizuki. His home was the southern part of the continent. Shin was the youngest of the council at age twenty-three, and trained as a samurai. The son of Shinji Akizuki, a retired Warlord who had fought with Naruto, Shin had made a name for himself during the Unification Wars as a formidable swordsman, and can hold his own against Naruto in their occassional spars. In some cases, he reminded Naruto of Shikamaru at times: brilliant, but lazy.

Last, was Rumika Todo. Like Katsumoto, she was a Damiyo, but hailed from the North's mountainous Lahja Region. Todo was one of the Damiyos whose land the late Rokunbungi Oda had an eye for, since her lands contained iron mines deep within the mountains, but once Naruto had eliminated him, she saw the wise decision in backing him in his war of conquest. Her husband was the original Damiyo, until his death during a raiding party from Oda's men, forcing her to assume the role. But despite this, she was fiercely loyal to both her people and to the Emperor.

Aside from the Imperial Council, Naruto had requested that Zabuza Momichi and Haku Momichi be present for this meeting. The former Mist Swordsman and his female partner stood before the Imperial Council, both curious as to why they were summoned to this hearing.

"General Momichi," Naruto began. "First off, neither you nor Haku are not in any kind of trouble, so you can relax. I've asked you and Haku to come for a reason."

Zabuza raised an eyebrow. "That reason being, Chief?"

Naruto raised the sheet of paper from the Pekara's Mist branch. "This came in from Mist. The Mizukage is dead."

Zabuza took the news well, given the fact that he had failed to assassinate Yagura years earlier. "So Yagura is finally dead, eh? Well whoopty-fucking-shit. I was hoping that I would return and do the deed. But it's still good news. Yagura was always unbalanced. Who's in charge now?"

Naruto looked at the sheet of paper. "Her name's...Terumi. Mei Terumi."

That caught Zabuza's attention. "Mei's the Godaime now, huh? Wish it could have been me, but I like my current position."

"What can you tell us about this woman?" Sonshi inquired.

"She's strong, Lord Sonshi. Very strong," Zabuza replied. "Has a sunnny disposition, even when she's threatening kick your ass. If she was able to kill Yagura, then she is more than capable of stabilizing the Mist after so many years of war."

Naruto leaned back in his chair, pondering the information he has received. Sonshi caught the look on his Emperor's face. "Are you planning on making an alliance with Mist and Suna?"

Naruto smiled at the old samurai. "Am I that predictable?"

Sonshi smiled back at the young Emperor. "No. You're just that easy."

That got a good laugh from the council, Naruto included. Even Zabuza laughed while Haku giggled. Once everyone has calmed down, Naruto confirmed his intentions. "To answer your question, Sonshi, yes, I plan on inviting not only the leader of the Mist, but Suna as well. The Kazekage of Suna is an old friend of mine. He is a jinchuuriki, like I once was. His beast is the One-Tail Raccoon."

"Ah, Shukaku," Kitami said. "He was always a bit unbalanced of the bunch. Then again, I'm willing to bet that Sanbi was the driving force behind Yagura's murderous reign."

"What about the Kazekage, Your Majesty?" Lady Aihara asked. "Aside that he is the jinchuuriki to the Two-Tails, what else can you tell about him?"

Naruto went into detail about how he and Gaara met during the Chuunin Exams back in Konoha, all the way up to the point of the ill-fated retrieval mission of Sasuke Uchiha. Afterward, he put it to a vote.

"All in favor of inviting the Godaime Mizukage and the Godaime Kazekage to the Imperial Capital for terms?" Naruto intoned.

The vote was unanimous. The council voted yes.

Naruto smiled. "Motion passed. This meeting is adjourned."

* * *

><p>Sunagakure no Sato, Wind Country - several days later...<p>

"Lord Kazekage, there is an envoy here to see you."

Gaara looked up from his paperwork. "Are they from Konoha?" he asked the Suna jounin that stood before him, obviously annoyed. Baki, Temari and Kankuro both held curious looks as well. If they were from Konoha, then they would be escorted back to the country's borders.

"No, sir," the Suna jounin replied. "They are from the Western Empire, by way of the Pekara Merchant House."

The Empire. That was a pretty hot topic in the Elemental Countries. No sane ninja had ever ventured there, yet someone around his age was able to conquer the northern and southern continents of the war-torn West and brought about peace, having been declared Emperor. The other Kages knew about him, yet no one knew his name. And now, the Emperor of the West was reaching out to him.

The door opened and a courier ninja stepped inside. Bowing to the Kazekage, he produced a scroll with the Imperial seal - a fox's head in front of a swirling whirlpool. "Lord Kazekage. May you have a long and prosperous reign. I bring word from my lord, His Imperial Majesty of the Unified West."

Temari took the scroll and handed it to her brother, the courier ninja bowing to the trio before turning on his heel and leaving. The Suna jinchuuriki's curiosity was piqued when he saw the insignia. He broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. There was no invite, but a note, brief and to the point.

_**Gaara. Come to the West. There will be a boat at the port in Wind Country in three days upon reading this message. I'll be waiting.**_

The note was not signed, but rather had a crudely drawn picture of a certain blond knucklehead flashing a peace sign.

Gaara closed the scroll. Turning to his former sensei, he said, "Baki, you're in charge until I come back."

"What it is? What's wrong?" Baki asked.

"The Emperor has invited me to come to the West," Gaara replied calmly. "Temari, Kankuro...you two are coming with me. One more thing. Bring Cell Three."

"Sarutobi and his two friends?" Baki asked. "Why them?"

"I have a feeling that the Emperor is someone we know very well," Gaara replied. "Have Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon report here in five minutes. We leave within the hour."

* * *

><p>It took Gaara and his envoy three hours to reach the sea. And nearly a week to the Western Empire by way of boat.<p>

The boat had stopped in Water Country first before moving on to Wind. Upon boarding the ship, the Suna envoy was surprised to see an envoy from Mist as well. They had heard reports about someone eliminating the insane Yagura and bringing the bloodline purges to an end.

The Mist envoy, led by the Godaime Mizukage herself, Mei Terumi, was also invited. Escorting her was the reformed Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Suna and Mist had some bad blood between the two villages, as several of Suna's clans were refugees from the Mist, having escaped from the village during the worst of the bloodline purges. Yugara had demanded that Suna release those who had fled back to the Mist. Gaara's predecessor refused. It was because of the first uprising back in Mist that Yugara had backed off.

After several days at sea, the envoy had finally reached the Unified West. Instead of docking at Kurata Port, the boat instead headed upriver. Mei was concerned and flagged down a sailor. "I thought we were going to disembark here," she said.

"Not here, Lady Terumi," the sailor replied. "Kimon City, the Imperial Capital. We dock there in thirty minutes."

As the sailor went about his business, Mei turned to Gaara, who stood along the bow. The boat passed Kurata Port, and headed inland. The Kages of Mist and Suna took in the scenery. "To think that just two years ago, this land was locked in a constant state of civil war," the Godaime Mizukage said. "Now...you really can't tell. I always thought that the Mist and Water Country had it bad when Yagura was in charge. But the stories I've heard about the West while I was a Jounin about the West...whoever the Emperor is, he has done something that is nothing but miraculous."

"Mmm..." Gaara agreed.

The two Kages stood in silence as the boat made its way upriver. Within minutes, the Imperial Capital soon came into view. Mei and Gaara took notice of the Imperial Complex, the home of the Emperor, rose above the city.

From a distance, the home of the Emperor and seat of the Imperial West was imposing, reminding Gaara of the Kazekage Tower back in Suna. The sun had set and night was about to fall. Gaara felt a kind of anticipation that he has not felt since the Chuunin Exams, back when Suna and Oto had invaded Konoha.

Only difference was that he had the feeling that he was going to see an old friend.

* * *

><p>At the port, Zabuza Momichi and Yugito Nii watched as the boat slowed to a stop, then was secured by the dock workers on the ground and the sailors onboard. The Emperor had assigned them to act as escorts to the Imperial Complex. Who better to escort the Kages of Mist and Sand than a ex-Kumo kunoichijinchuuriki and a former Mist swordsman.

The two generals who fought alongside Naruto were dressed in their respective uniforms; Yugito in her old Kumo uniform and the khaki Jounin flak vest, a signature trademark of the Hellcats, the all-female fighting force which she founded; and for Zabuza, his favorite camo fatigues from his days as a missing ninja. Like Yugito, he also wore a Jounin flak vest, only his was dark blue, the trademark of his own black-ops unit, the Demon Squad, of which he founded alongside Haku. His oversized sword was slung over his shoulder.

The gangplank was lowered, and the two Kages and their envoys started to disembark from the boat. Almost immediately, Yugito's senses went haywire.

'**Kitten...**' the Two-Tails hissed. '**He's a jinchuuriki.**'

'I know. Naruto told me,' Yugito replied. 'It's Shukaku.'

Nibi was surprised. '**Shukaku? That oversized rodent? He managed to get himself sealed?**'

'Looks that way,' Yugito replied. 'Keep it down.'

The monster cat went silent as the two Kages and their respective envoys approached the pair. Almost immediately, the seven Mist swordsmen went for their swords, but Mei ordered them to stay their hand.

"Do not attack him," Mei ordered.

"But...he is still a missing-nin!" one of the swordsmen objected. "Granted that he tried to kill Yagura, but still a missing nin!"

"And he is in the employ of the Emperor," Mei pointed out. "I will not see the Mist wiped out because you tried to kill a ninja who answer to the Emperor."

Once that situation was defused, Mei turned to Zabuza. "Zabuza Momichi. 'Demon of the Mist.' I thought you were dead."

"One of these days, maybe. I almost came close," Zabuza replied, bowing. "Lady Mizukage, welcome to the Capital." He introduced Yugito. "General Yugito Nii, commander of the Hellcats. Yugito, Godaime Mizukage Mei Terumi."

Yugito bowed in greeting.

Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the aura surrounding the blonde ninja. "You're a jinchuuriki."

"That I am," Yugito replied. "So are you, Lord Kazekage. Nibi identified yours as the One-Tail."

"Nibi...the Two-Tailed Monster Cat," Gaara confirmed.

"So what's a kunoichi from Kumo doing here in the West?" Temari asked, ready just in case that Yugito attacked.

"I no longer serve the Cloud," Yugito replied. "I was betrayed by the Kumo High Council without the knowledge of A and Bee. The Council sold me out to the Akatsuki. The Emperor saved my life. I've been at his side ever since."

Temari calmed down after that. The Akatsuki was also a hot topic aside from the Emperor. They had went underground following the disappearance of Naruto and Yugito, but there were reports of them resurfacing. Any village who had a Jinchuuriki were in a state of high alert, or those Jinchuuriki who were wandering had went underground.

"The Emperor sent you two meet us?" Gaara asked.

Yugito nodded. "Yes. Consider us your personal escort to The Boss. He is waiting for you at his home."

* * *

><p>"I always thought the people of the West were different," Mei said as Zabuza and Yugito walked through the open-air market of Kimon. "Now I see that everyone's the same, from the style of clothes to the same food."<p>

"The Boss and I thought the same thing when we first came here," Yugito said. "Of course, this was back when Oda had ran the place. It wasn't as lively as it is now. The living conditions were horrible. Oda was leeching off the people, demanding tribute upon tribute. He killed the men who did not comply and raped their wives and daughters. One girl he used as a sex toy after cutting off her limbs and tongue...after eliminating her family who dared to oppose him. When he got tired of her, he tossed her to his troops. When The Boss found her after we had killed off Oda, even he was appalled at the barbarism that Oda had done. He did the right thing and granted her a mercy killing."

Temari and Mei paled at Yugito's story. Even the Mist swordsman and the other Suna ninja looked sick.

"The Boss spent three months consolidating his power base here," Yugito continued. "It was then he decided to launch his own war. A war to unify the continents. Most of the warlords here fought only for land and to subjugate the other. He fought to unify the lands under his banner, to bring about an everlasting peace, something that the West has not seen since the era of the Six Paths Sage."

"From the look of things, he has succeeded," Temari noted. "This place feels so...alive."

"Only took the Chief two years," Zabuza said. "I was one of the many who came to his side. All of the tyrannical warlords were wiped out, while those who were smart enough not to fight flocked to his side, while others supported him financially. One year to unify the Northern Region, and another year to unify the Southern Region. We just celebrated our first anniversary of the Empire Unification a couple of weeks ago. He should have invited you two here earlier. You would've had a blast."

"I'm sure we would have," Mei said as the party passed two members of the Hellcats, identified by the same type of flak vest that Yugito wore. The two Hellcats greeted their supreme commander, to which Yugito responded with a nod.

"And here we are," Zabuza said as they approached the Imperial Complex. The massive doors were open, but were guarded by members of both the Hellcats and the Demon Squad. Passing by their subordinates, Zabuza and Yugito led the visiting party inside the complex.

"Wow," Mei said, looking around. "Nice setup the Emperor has."

"The Imperial Palace sits at the center of the complex," Zabuza explained. "As you can see, the place is heavily guarded by both ninja and samurai. Not only does the Emperor live here, but he also meets with the Imperial Council inside the House of Sovereigns and entertains guests inside the Reception Hall. We even got some barracks here for them to stay in. Since the Emperor's a seal master, his main home is warded off from intruders. He should be inside the House of Sovereigns now. We're heading there now."

"In that case, lead the way," Gaara said.

* * *

><p>House of Sovereigns, Throne Room.<p>

Dressed in black, complete with his black Kage-style hat concealing his face, Naruto sat on his throne, Kitami at his side. He had received word that Gaara and Mei had arrived safely and had just entered the House of Sovereigns. General Kazuma had verified that both kages were accompanied by their personal escorts. Naruto, however, was curious as to why Gaara had a squad of genin tagging along. Temari and Kankuro, he could understand, but a squad of genin?

Naruto shrugged it off and straightened himself in his seat, as the Kage of the Mist and the Kage of the Sand entered his throne room, followed by their respective escorts. Naruto was thankful that he was still wearing the Kage-style hat, otherwise, he would have been surprised to see Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon among the Suna envoy. Even more surprising was that they wore the hitai-ate with the Suna hourglass identifying them as Suna ninja.

Gaara, in the meantime, narrowed his eyes at the redheaded woman that stood beside the throne. Shukaku was speaking to him, but he ignored the rodent.

As their respective entourages remained behind, the Kage of the Mist and the Kage of the Sand stepped forward. Stopping three feet before the throne, they bowed. The Emperor responded with a nod of his head. "Gaara of the Sand, Godaime Kazekage of Suna...Mei Terumi, Godaime Mizukage of Mist...welcome to my home."

"We are honored to be here, Your Majesty," Mei replied.

Naruto rose from his throne. "The look on your face says it all. Why are the both of you here, and why did I invite you to my lands, correct?" he inquired as he stepped down to face the two Kages. "In that case, prepare to be enlightened."

The young Emperor reached up and removed his hat, tossing it to a valet that was standing nearby. Gaara had his suspicions when he was delivered the invite, but despite the missing whisker-like marks and his hair taking on a reddish tint, this had all but confirmed it. Temari and Kankuro were at a loss for words, since they were facing the last person they would expect to be Emperor of the Unified West.

"BOSS!"

"Oof!" Naruto grunted as he was tackled to the floor by Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon. The guards inside the throne room couldn't help but to chuckle at their Emperor's antics. Despite being the most powerful person on the continent, he was still a teenager. Even the Mist swordsmen had a laugh. Kitami cracked a smile at the sight of Naruto being dog-piled by the three junior ninja.

"Knock it off, you three," Gaara ordered. "Give him some breathing room."

Once Naruto manage to pry himself from Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon, he straightened himself off and faced the two kages. He greeted Mei first. "Lady Kazakage. Welcome to Kimon. Zabuza's told me quite a bit about you."

"He did, didn't he?" Mei replied. "Good things I hope. Anything bad would ruin my reputation. Although I am curious as to how you know the Demon of the Mist."

"We met four years ago, back when I was a genin," Naruto explained. He then gave both Kages a quick summary of the mission to Wave Country and of his run-in with Zabuza and Haku. "I later found out that both were alive. Turns out the Zabuza and Haku my team and I fought were nothing but advanced blood clones. Zabuza had taken off when the Mist hunter ninja arrived sooner than expected. He was one of many that helped me unify the West."

Mei turned to Zabuza. "I am honestly impressed, Momichi. Of course, you will give me the whole story later on," she said, smiling sweetly, yet her tone showed that there was no room for argument.

Zabuza gulped. "Of course, Lady Mizukage."

In the meantime, Naruto had turned to Gaara. The two leaders shook hands. "Gaara. Congratulations on your promotion to Kazekage."

Garra smiled. "And you, Uzumaki. It's clear that you have once again outdid me. I never thought it would be you who would unify the West. Congratulations to you on accomplishing such a feat."

"The people here are not unlike those back in the East. They never knew peace," Naruto explained. "Not since the era of the Six Paths Sage. At least back East we had some sort of peace and order." He gestured to the three genin. "How'd you end up with those three?"

"It was after you were banished, that the Suna Council sent an envoy to Konoha," Gaara explained. "Temari was with them. When the Konoha Council explained why you were banished, we terminated our alliance with the Leaf. Sarutobi and his two friends had caught up with Temari and asked to come with her. They knew about your burden as the jinchuuriki and when the banishment order came down, decided to desert the village in favor of Suna."

"How did Asuma take the news?" Naruto asked.

"He tried to stop us from leaving, pleaded with me to stay," the young Sarutobi said. "Said that family should stick together. But we couldn't stay. Not after how the council treated you after you brought back that traitor. I haven't spoken with him since that day."

Naruto tapped the hitai-ate that his former protege wore. "So you're a genin of Suna now? Congratulations. I always had faith in you, Konohamaru. In all of you."

"It's Maru now," Maru corrected. "I changed my name when I arrived in Suna, Boss. That was the last thing that connected me to that village. Whenever people called me by Konohamaru, it reminded me of you and of your sacrifice. It brought back so many bad memories."

"Maru, show some respect," Temari scolded.

Naruto waved her off. "It's okay, Temari. Maru's been calling me Boss ever since Konoha. It's his way of showing respect towards me."

"In any case, it's good to see you again, Naruto," the wind mistress said as she hugged the younger man. "You're grown too. Last time I've seen you, you were nothing but a sprat."

It was indeed true. Naruto barely stood over five feet back in Konoha. Now, he was clearly a foot taller. "Four years of hard training and fighting tends to work wonders." He turned to Kankuro. "Still into your puppets, I see. Improved any?"

Kankuro grinned. "You can be more than happy to find out, kid." He shook Naruto's hand. "Good to see you're still alive."

"Can't die just yet. The people need me." He then introduced Kitami. "My Chief Prime Minister, Lady Kitami Akashiya."

Kitami bowed in greeting. As she did so, Shukaku recognized her aura immediately.

'**She is the Nine-Tails!**' Shukaku screamed in Gaara's mind. '**She is the Kyuubi in human form!**'

Kitami saw the look on Gaara's face and could only guess as to what the One-Tail was saying to its container. "So Shukaku figured it out, huh?" she asked, smiling meanly. "How is the rodent?"

'**Hey! I resent that!**' Shukaku shouted.

"Shut up, Shukaku, you're giving me a headache," Gaara muttered. To Kitami, he said, "Is it true? You're the Nine-Tails?"

"That I am," Kitami confirmed.

Temari and Kankuro blinked. They looked at the female redhead, who was looking on with a smug look. This was the same Nine-Tailed Fox that they seen during the Suna-Oto invasion? Maru, Moegi and Udon already knew about Naruto's secret, but was surprised to find out that the Nine-Tails was a woman.

"Are you sure, Gaara?" Kankuro asked. "She can't be the most powerful of the bijuu."

That was when Temari tapped him on the shoulder, before pointing at the Empire's Prime Minister. When Kankuro looked in her direction, he first felt the wave of killer intent directed at him.

Then his jaw hit the ground, as did everyone else's save for Gaara and the Neo Maru Corps.

"You were saying, Kankuro?" Kitami asked sweetly as her nine tails snaked around her, her eyes glowing an inhuman red, the pupils slitted.

The puppet master waved his hands in a placating manner. "Okay, okay. I'm convinced. Please don't kill me."

"Well, since you said please," Kitami replied as the tails vanished, her eyes reverting to normal.

'**Showoff**,' Shukaku muttered.

"It's true that Kitami is the strongest of the tailed beasts, but they are not demons as most people would think," Naruto explained.

"We bijuu are are more connected to nature," Kitami seconded. "But after we were seperated from the Ten-Tailed Beast, some pompous little pedant had the brilliant idea to turn the tailed beasts into weapons by sealing them inside humans, creating the jinchuuriki. As to how Kitami is free, I studied the seal and reversed-engineered it. I freed her with all nine tails of power."

'**That much is true**,' Shukaku confirmed it. '**One thing about us bijuu is that we are incapable of lying**.'

"Okay enough talk," Naruto said. "You must be hungry and tired from your trip. Consider yourselves guests in my home." He summoned a valet who was standing nearby. "Take them to the guest quarters. See to their comfort."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the valet said.

* * *

><p>Later on following dinner, Naruto entertained his guests with past war stories. Mei, on the other hand, had hauled Zabuza off to raid the Imperial Palace's sake stash. It would be late night when a shit-faced Mizukage and a equally sloshed commander of the Demon Unit staggered into the Imperial Palace's guest room. Zabuza did a face-plant into the couch, while Mei staggered to her guest room. Rather than retire to her own chambers, Kitami shifted into her fox form and founded a shaded area within the complex's grounds and fell asleep there.<p>

Naruto and Gaara were on the balcony of the guest quarters, overlooking the city.

"I think it's safe to say that Temari has fallen in love with Kimon City," Gaara noted. "You've proven to be the most unpredictable ninja once again, Uzumaki."

"You think the city's nice, wait till I tell her about the hot springs resort in the mountains," Naruto replied. "She'll never want to leave then."

The Suna jinchuuriki cracked a small grin. "I'll bet. Temari always loved hot springs. The ninja back home always talked about the West...that going there is for the foolish and the crazy. Not even Orochimaru or the Akatsuki would even dare to come here, let alone Konoha."

Naruto frowned. He knew that this would come. "What's been happening ever since I left?"

"From what I managed to hear, the council pardoned the Uchiha for his attempted defection," Gaara said. "They place the blame on both his Cursed Seal and on you. After your banishment, every single alliance and trade agreement that Konoha had because of you were dissolved...Wave...Snow...Hot Water...Konoha is a virtual pariah in the shinobi world. Wherever they go, they are not welcome, in some cases, they are not allowed entry into some of the towns, forcing their ninja to go in using henges and aliases."

"I bet they blame me for that too."

Naruto was not the least bit surprised with Gaara's reply. "They do," the redhead replied.

After talking for several more minutes, the two leaders decided to retire for the night. After all, tomorrow would be a big day for all parties involved.

* * *

><p>The following day, a special meeting was taking place inside the House of Sovereigns.F The Emperor had convened his Imperial Council, and this time, the two Kages were present.<p>

Two more chairs were placed at the head table. Gaara and Mei sat on Naruto's right, while Kitami remained on his left. Naruto himself dressed for the occasion; his white shirt, black vest, longcoat, pants and boots, while Gaara and Mei were in their respective Kage robes of state.

"This meeting of the Imperial Council is now called to order," Naruto announced. "It is my honor and my pleasure to introduce to this council, Godaime Kazakage Gaara of the Sand..."

Gaara rose from his seat and bowed.

"...and Godaime Mizukage Mei Terumi."

Mei followed suit.

Once both Kages were seated, Naruto continued. "This is the Imperial Council. You already know my Prime Minister, Kitami Akashiya." After Naruto got through introducing the council members to the two Kages, the meeting was underway.

"Thanks to our Emperor, the Empire is strong," Sonshi began, "but even the strongest of the nations can use an ally or two. His Imperial Majesty spoke highly of you, Lord Kazekage and General Momichi also praised you leadership abilities, Lady Mizukage. Which is why we are here to discuss terms of a military and trade alliance."

"Go on," Gaara prodded.

At Naruto's nod, a valet approached the head table and placed two binders in front of Gaara and Mei before retreating back to his original post.

"The terms are agreeable and very generous," Sonshi continued. "We already have branches of the Pekara Merchant House in both Suna and Mist, which is already covered in the trade agreements. As for military aid, it's really quite simple. If you ever need a hand, then the Empire will come to your aid."

"There's a catch, isn't it?" Mei asked, leafing through the document.

"Yes," Naruto replied. "Only one condition. That the both of you will allow an Imperial Consulate in your respective villages, and in response, I will allow a Suna and Mist Consulate to be placed here in the capital. Of course, my representatives will follow and honor the rules of your respective villages and your representatives will honor and respect the rules of the Empire. The representatives you appoint will answer directly to you, and the same applies with my representatives. As an added bonus, you get your products at a reduced price through the Pekara shops."

"Can we assign a garrison of ninja to defend the embassy if necessary?" Gaara asked.

Naruto nodded. "I see no problem with that, as long as I can do the same. There's two compounds in the city that are empty. You can use them if you wish. So...do we have an agreement?"

Gaara and Mei exchanged glances. It took them only a moment to decide. Within seconds, their signature and their hanko seals was on the documents, followed by Naruto's own.

* * *

><p>One month had passed since the Unified West, Suna and Mist had formed their alliance. Their respective consulates were in place in both East and West. In Kimon the Suna representative was Temari herself, having volunteered for the position. Her reason: she wanted a change of scenery and she had grown quite attached to the Imperial Capital.<p>

Naruto suspected that the hot springs resort in the Lahja Mountains may have had a influence in Temari's decision. At least Gaara sent someone he trusted.

Mei had sent a former Mist swordsman who was also a relative of hers as the Mist representative. In truth, her family had adopted him and he took on their family name. Takeshi Terumi.

Naruto had emerged from a meeting of the Imperial Council in high spirits. Ever since Yukie had started to film her movies here, the Western Empire has seen a major boost in tourism, particularly at the resort towns of North Tomoe in the Northern Region and Tears' Point in the south. Even the annual tournaments were beginning to draw in ninja from the east, hoping to make a name for themselves by taking on the best the West has to offer.

They all failed. Miserably.

The main reason for Naruto's good mood was that he had no paperwork to do. Actually, he did, but he left that to the shadow clones, allowing him to meditate and train. He was a hands-on type of Emperor, but even he needed a break from the paperwork.

Upon exiting the House of Sovereigns, Naruto was met by a Suna Jounin, one of many who was part of the Suna garrison assigned to the Suna consulate He was accompanied by Maru, Moegi and Udon.

"Lord Emperor," the Suna ninja greeted, taking a knee.

"Hey, Boss," the three genin greeted, bowing to the older teenager.

"Maru? What are you three doing here? I thought you were in Suna," Naruto said. Ordering the Jounin to rise, he asked, "What is it?"

The Suna ninja produced two scrolls with the Suna seal. "From Lord Kazekage," he said before vanishing in a poof of smoke.

Naruto looked at the scroll for a moment, before breaking the seal and opening it. It was a note, from Gaara to him.

_**Lord Namikaze,**_

_**If you are reading this, then Sarutobi and his friends have arrived safe and sound. The Chuunin Exams are six months away and their Jounin sensei was injured in a minor skirmish with ninja from the Cloud. I have no other Jounin to spare at the time, which is why I have sent them to you. Sarutobi and his friends look up to you and respect you a great deal, as I have seen back during the Chuunin Exams in Konoha. **_

_**I am asking that you train these three for the upcoming Chuunin Exams, which will be held in Suna. Enclosed in the second scroll is their files and their specialties and weaknesses. I have already notified Temari at the counsulate. Consider this their first S-ranked assignment. I know that you will not disappoint me, Lord Emperor. I am expecting great things from these three.**_

_**Gaara of the Sand, Godaime Kazekage of Suna**_

"Well, Boss?" Maru prodded. "What does it say?"

Naruto smiled at the younger genin. "You three are as of this moment, on your first official S-class mission."

"Really? AWESOME!" came the reply from the trio.

"Your mission is a six-month assignment from the Kazekage himself," Naruto continued. "He has left the three here in order to train for the upcoming Chuunin Exams."

As the three genin cheered, Naruto flagged down a passing valet. "These three are considered guests in my home. Show them the guest quarters and get them settled in."

The valet bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Naruto turned to the three genin. "Follow her inside. She will get you settled in."

Maru and his teammates nodded eagerly and followed the valet towards the Imperial Palace. The Emperor turned on his heel and entered the hall. As he headed for his office, he undid the second scroll and began to read it.

'Hmm...Maru's specialty is ninjitsu, just like Old Man Saturobi...Moegi knows the basics of medical ninjitsu...and Udon shows promise in hand-to-hand combat,' Naruto thought as he continued to read. 'They're a bunch of misfits, but they show promise. Kinda reminds me of myself when I was younger. This can be interesting.'

Rounding the corridor, he saw Sonshi chatting with Hayate Okajima, Kokoro Yamada and Kouda Chiba. Before they could say anything, Naruto had beaten them to the point.

"You four, my office."

Curious as to what their Emperor would want, they followed him inside.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later...<p>

Maru Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon stood before the Emperor, the boy that they had long since admired since their days back in Konoha. And he was not alone. Standing alongside Naruto were four people that they recognized from their last visit.

Naruto had explained the request from Gaara in regards to the three kids standing before them, and had requested that they assist in their training. Not one to back down from a challenge, Sonshi and the three council members agreed.

"Gaara's entrusted you three to my care, to train you for the Chuunin Exams," Naruto intoned, his face serious. "But I cannot do this alone, which is why I enlisted the help of these four upstanding warriors. I fought with them during the Unification Wars, and I trust them with my life. Mondays, I will teach you taijitsu, as well as chakra control and endurance training. Tuesdays, Sonshi will train you three in basic weapons combat and tactics. Wednesdays and Thursdays...I got something special planned. Maru, you will learn Ninjitsu from Okajima."

At that, 'The Tengu' bowed.

"Moegi, as you are studying to be a medic-ninja, you will spend time with Yamada."

Kouda bowed as well.

"And Udon, you will receive intermediate and advanced Taijitsu training from the Chiba clan, mostly from Takuma."

The Chiba clan head followed suit.

Sonshi sized the three Suna genin up. "So...this is your little pet project? Train these three into battle-ready ninja? You got your work cut out for you, Chief."

Maru puffed at that insult. "Hey! I'm gonna be a great ninja! Like the Boss and my grandpa!"

Sonshi looked at Maru. "And who are you?"

"Maru Sarutobi."

Sonshi recognized the name immediately. "Sarutobi. Your grandfather was Hiruzen Sarutobi?"

"You knew him?"

"Knew him? I fought him when I was younger," Sonshi replied. "The Chief admired him a great deal. As did I. Good man, good ninja. Although it's a bit late, the Chief's told me about his passing. You do have my sympathies."

"They're a group of misfits, but they got heart and guts," Naruto added. "That goes a long way. I see in them plenty of potential. Potential to even surpass me."

"They got spirit, too," Okajima added. "I'll send in one of my best ninja to assist in the training. You have the full support of the Okajima clan in this, Chief."

Naruto turned to the three Suna genin. "I will warn you in advance. These four are not to be taken lightly, as am I. We will push you to the extent of your abilities. We will be hard, but we will also be fair. I will not make the same mistakes as Hatake did with myself, the emo and the banshee. You will receive equal training. And I will be in contact with Temari, who will be passing on your progress reports to Gaara. By the time the Chuunin Exams come around, you three will be the talk of the town. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Boss!" Maru, Moegi and Udon shouted in chorus.

"You three will have the weekend off," Naruto said as he dismissed the four council members. "Come Monday, your training will begin. There will be risks, but the rewards will be great."


	5. Side Story: Alliances and Paybacks Pt 2

**Side Story 2: Alliances and Payback, Part 2**

Snafu's Notes: Taking a page out of my other fanfic **Resident Evil: A Change in Pace**, most of this chapter consists of journal entries from Naruto's point of view, combined with scenes from Konoha and flashback scenes. I feel that the journal entries would serve to be more dramatic. Also, it was kinda long, so I split it in two halves.

UPDATE! I uploaded the beta version by mistake. This is the correct version with Yahiko and Konan. Roshi and Han are in the next chapter.

[Journal of the Emperor, Naruto Namikaze]

_**Entry 1:**_

_**Since this is the first journal I've decided to keep since being crowned as Emperor, this counts as Volume 2. **_

_**Right now, I'm watching Sonshi train Maru, Moegi and Udon. They call themselves the 'Neo Maru Corps,' but Temari likes to call them 'Team Misfits.' From what I've heard, their pranks in Suna were legendary. Of course, changing Kankuro's war paint was pure genius on their part. Temari told me that Kankuro had his puppets chasing them all through Suna for the three.**_

_**Three weeks into the training, and from the look of things, Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon are really getting into their mission. So far, Sonshi, Kouda, Okajima and Chiba have given me nothing but positive reviews in response to their training. Even they seem to be responsive to my taijutsu and chakra training. Temari even dropped by earlier this week to check up on their training, and even she had to admit that they would make fine Chuunin for the Sand. By the time the Jounin Exams come around, they would pass with flying colors. **_

_**Sonshi is a jack of all trades, a master of all weapons. Maru's been learning how to fight with a staff. Moegi likes the tonfas, while Udon prefers to mix it up with short blades, like a pair of kunai or a pair of tantos. When Temari asked me why Maru chose the staff as a weapon, I explained to her that Old Man Sarutobi, his grandfather, was an expert with the bo. From the look of things, I got a prodigy on my hands. Not one, but three.**_

_**Old Man, you would be proud.**_

_**Entry 2:**_

_**While visiting Gaara in Suna, I received word from my network stationed in Lightning Country. The Raikage has been overthrown by a more hardline Raikage. Even more worse was that the new Raikage is backed by Orochimaru. Luckily the Lightning offices of the Pekara House were untouched. The first order of the Godaime Raikage was the immediate termination of his predecessor and his brother, Killer Bee, as they both were considered threats to the Godaime's rule.**_

_**I had the Elite Guard with me, so after activating the Fox Eye, I activated the Demon's Gate Jutsu. The Demon's Gate Jutsu was something that Kitami and I had developed. Based off my father's Hirashin Jutsu, I can transport a large number of people with me to any location I deem fit. Seeing as how I visited Kumo when I was first banished, it was not a problem.**_

_**Once the nausea passed, we headed for A and Bee's last known location. We reached them in the nick of time, as they were assaulted by the Kumo ANBU. A was injured and Bee was trying to protect his brother at any costs, his chakra reserves depleted. That's where we came in, and decimated the Kumo ANBU. Thankfully, Bee and his brother were still alive.**_

_**Once the bodies were disposed of by fire, I returned to Suna with the jinchuuriki and his brother. Yugito was pretty surprised when I showed up with the deposed Raikage and his brother. I told her to watch over them as I made plans. Once A regained consciousness, I visited them both. A and Bee were surprised to find out that Yugito was working for me...and they were even more surprised as to who I was. The banished ninja from Konoha, now Emperor of the West. Not to say that A had a surprise of his own. When I confirmed that Minato Namikaze was my father, A told me that both him and my old man mixed it up in the last Shinobi War. A also said that despite everything, he respected my father a great deal, and that his death was a tragedy. **_

_**At least I know he wasn't lying to me.**_

_**After talking a bit more, I gave A and Bee my offer. Since they are marked men, there was no place safe for them in the Elemental Countries. So I offered them political asylum within the Empire. A had the experience of being a leader, which would make him perfect for the job of senior adviser (damn Sonshi turned me down again). As for Bee, the trading town of Rara needed a new leader.**_

_**A and Bee accepted. In a way, A was relieved to be free of the position of Raikage...even though it almost got him killed. He had suspected that the council and the most senior ninja were plotting something. I confirmed his suspicious when I told him that the ANBU that were chasing after him had the Cursed Seal, meaning that Orochimaru had backed the new Raikage...or worse, placed a puppet ruler in the leadership role. I relayed the events to all Pekara Houses in the Elemental Countries, telling them to keep alert.**_

_**Once A has recovered enough to travel, we'll head back to Kimon.**_

_**Entry 3:**_

_**Right now, I'm at the ruins of the Fire Temple. Chiriku has been killed. I guess I should start from the beginning. Somehow, I got roped into going on an inspection tour of the Pekara Merchant Houses in the East with Ryuji and Haruka. My Elite Guards, as well as Team Misfit accompanied me on this little two-month long expedition. Well, I would be lying if I said that I was concerned. I still have that banishment order on my head, not to mention the kill-on-sight decree. Damn, I hate Konoha, which is why I am dressed incognito.**_

_**The Fire Capital housed the Pekara Merchant House. I realized that the capital was not that far from Chiriku and the temple. I decided to visit Chiriku and pay my respects.**_

_**Only when I arrived at the temple, I found the place in ruins, most of the monks slaughtered. A surviving monk told me and my envoy the story. Hidan and Kazuku had paid a deadly visit to the Temple and leveled the place after killing most of the monks and taking Chiriku's body to the hidden bounty station near the border. **_

_**My reaction was instant. I told the others to remain at the temple to lend a hand. I retrieved my sword, kunais, seals and flak vest, but still kept the black kage hat over my face to hide my identity. Swearing a blood oath to avenge Chiriku and to kill the Zombie Brothers, I took off in pursuit. It took me 30 minutes to reach the border, but I found the underground bounty station, along with Hidan and Kazuku. The latter watched as Hidan initiated the Jashin Ritual and Curse jutsu on Asuma Sarutobi.**_

_**My first intention was to let Asuma kill himself trying to stop Hidan, but Old Man Sarutobi would probably be pissed if I let his son die. So I went with plan B. **_

_**First, I dealt with Kazuku. Using the chakra chains jutsu, I incapacitated him. Then I turned my attention to Hidan.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Hidan's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as Naruto impaled him with his kunai. Even Kakuzu was in shock. How was this possible? Hidan was virtually immortal! Now, he was dying at the hands of this newcomer, who had all but virtually killed him with no effort! With a roar, Naruto slid his blade violently to the side, causing Hidan's insides to spill out. The follower of Jashin sank to his knees, hands holding his torso in a futile attempt in trying to keep his insides from coming out. _

_Hidan looked into the golden eyes of his soon-to-be-killer. "How...is this possible?" Hidan gasped. "I can't fucking...die..."_

_"Easy," Naruto replied. "I simply reversed-engineered the jutsu which granted your immortality. Not so tough now, are ya?" _

_In the Unification War, Naruto had came across a cult which worshiped Jashin. Like Hidan, their leader was considered to be immortal and was even worshiped as a living god. However, during a raid into one of their strongholds, Naruto found the scrolls detailing not only the jutsu used to make someone immortal, but also the workings of the Jashin Ritual and Curse jutsu. _

_With that knowledge, Naruto was able to reverse-engineer the mechanisms of the Immortality Jutsu. Afterward, the cult was slaughtered to the man, the leader of the Jashin cult was the last to die at Naruto's hands._

_"You think you're the only Jashin follower I killed?" Naruto taunted as he drew his sword. "How else was I able to reverse the immortality jutsu?" As Kakuzu watched helplessly Naruto raised his sword. "This is for Chiriku. So lie down and die," the Emperor said as he brought the blade down._

_Asuma watched as the Man in Black sliced through Hidan's neck, before flinging the blood off his blade and sheathing his katana. Upon hearing the audible **CLICK**, a thin red line appeared around Hidan's throat. Then his head slid forward, falling to the ground and rolling to a stop at his savior's feet._

_Hidan was dead._

_The pain finally getting to him, Asuma mercifully passed out. Seeing that Asuma was out of the picture for the moment, Naruto turned to the bound Kakuzu. The bound ninja tried to break free of the chakra chains that bound him, but realized that they were draining his chakra at a rapid pace. _

_"One supposed immortal down, one to go," Naruto mused. _

_"You may kill me, but the others will track you down and kill you," Kakuzu sneered. _

_"They can try, but they will die as well," Naruto replied calmly as he analyzed his opponent. Through his Fox Eye, he saw Kakuzu's means of immortality: the four hearts. _

_"One more thing, Kakuzu," Naruto replied as he removed his face mask and hat, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki."_

_Kakuzu's eyes went wide. "The Kyuubi jinchuuriki...you...?"_

_The last thing Kakuzu saw was a flash of yellow, then darkness._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>Asuma was still out cold. I took Hidan and Kazuku's heads and collected their bounties. But before I could recover Chiriku's body, I received three more uninvited guests.<strong>_

_**Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Chouji Akamichi.**_

_**From the look of things, both Ino and Chouji have been promoted to Chuunin since my exile...and they assumed that I was the one who had attacked their sensei. Not surprisingly, they attacked me. They've improved since I was banished, Ino especially. Looks like she's been training under Tsunade, as she now has that chakra-powered super strength.**_

_**Funny. So do I. **_

_**After several minutes of fighting, the trio tried to catch me in their famed formation: distract me with Akamichi, then Nara will use his Kagemane to capture me and Yamanaka will incapacitate me with their Mind Transfer Jutsu. Well, actually, I allowed them the first two, but when Ino tried to use her family's signature jutsu, I gave them a shocker.**_

_**I broke free from the Kagemane using a jutsu I leaned from General Kazama and performed a substitution with Chouji. Ino's mind went into her partner's instead and I punted Chouji into Ino's body. With both of them out for the count, I turned to Shikamaru. He tried the Kagemane again, but this time around, I blasted him with a new technique I developed.**_

_**Deadly Tempest.**_

_**I was inspired by Temari and her Kamitachi attack and after a couple of days, I developed two variants of it - wind and fire. The attack is basically chakra-powered winds with the force of a hurricane gale. The wind variant blasts the opponent with supercooled air. And it did as it was advertised. Shikamaru was sent flying into his teammates, out cold.**_

_**With those three nuisances out of the way, I retrieved Chiriku's body. Asuma had recovered by that time, but was in no shape to try and attack me. I left him there with his former students.**_

* * *

><p>Konohagakure, the following day.<p>

Inside a hospital room, a very pregnant Kurenai Sarutobi kept a silent vigil over her husband. Hidan had worked Asuma over pretty good with his Ritual and Curse Jutsu. The Sarutobi clan head had multiple cuts and lacerations, some minor, others serious. He had lost quite a bit of blood on the way back to Konoha (Chouji had carried him on his back and Ino fed him blood pills), and given the extent of his injuries, he would be on the inactive list for several months. But he would survive.

"You die on me, Asuma, and I will kick your ass for making me a widow and a single mother," Kurenai hissed.

* * *

><p>Inside the Hokage's Office...<p>

A battered and bruised Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji gave their report to Tsunade. Also present were the two senior advisers, Koharu and Honmura, and the warhawk, Danzou.

"It was only after we had regained consciousness that we saw the bodies of the two Akatsuki," Shikamaru explained, holding an icepack to his head. "The bounty station verified them both as Hidan and Kazuku, both S-class missing ninja, both were members of the Akatsuki."

"And both were killed by the same man we fought," Ino seconded, also holding an icepack to her face.

"Describe this man," Danzou commanded.

"Tall, maybe about six-foot-even," Chouji said, holding his own icepack to his nose. "Dressed in black: Jounin flak vest, pants and boots. He wore a kage-style hat to cover his face. He was armed with a sword, but did not use it against us. We saw no hitai-ate identifying him as a missing ninja."

"Hmm...mercenary, perhaps..." Danzou muttered. "Someone who was able to kill two ninja who were deemed immortal is someone to be watched."

"There's something else," Shikamaru said. "Sensei said that the man saved him from being killed by Hidan."

"I don't buy it," Tsunade said. "Whoever this man is...we need to know if he is friend or foe. Bring him in for questioning. Any capable Chuunin or Jounin should be up to the task."

Danzou bowed...albeit mockingly before he and the two advisors exited the office. Upon going his separate ways from the two advisers, Danzou summoned Sai. he had plans to make.

* * *

><p>[Journal of the Emperor, Naruto Namikaze]<p>

_**Entry 4:**_

_**Somehow, I know that beating down the Ino-Shika-Cho trio would come and bite me on the ass. **_

_**The following day, we held a mass funeral at the ruins of Fire Temple. Chiriku deserved better. He didn't deserve to die like a dog. The surviving monks would rebuild, but not before I promised them help in any way possible. **_

_**The monks departed to a fallback spot, while I and my entourage returned to the temple. There, I found the warhawk, the one who had orchestrated my banishment in the first place. He wasn't alone. Twenty ROOT ANBU accompanied him. Made me glad that I knew Konoha law, which is why I gave the order not to kill...but rather maim. Had I ordered the Elite Guards to kill, then I would be in the Bingo Book.**_

_**But I wasn't worried. If I was alone, then yeah, I would be worried.**_

_**I think I should take this time out to tell you about my Elite Guards. It was Sonshi's idea to begin with. Even though I am a highly-skilled warrior trained in the ways of the shinobi and samurai, even I need someone to protect me. Which is why Sonshi came up with the idea of having a elite group of bodyguards - both samurai and shinobi to watch my back. They all came from samurai and shinobi families, and are especially good at what they do. The Elite Guards are a motley bunch, but they look out for each other as well as guard me.**_

_**The first member just so happens to be the youngest of the bunch. Sonshi's granddaughter, Sana. Like her grandfather, she was trained as a samurai. In the Unification War, she was a member of Yugito's Hellcats, and still wears the khaki flak vest with pride. I spar with her every once in a while whenever I can't fight her grandfather. The others tend to treat her like the little sister of the bunch.**_

_**Hideo Kibagami was Eiji's nephew. His parents were killed in battle and he was raised by his foul-mouthed uncle and also taught the ways of the sword. From what I've seen, the Kibagami style is mostly quick-draw. He was the oldest of the bunch, and formerly a member of Zabuza's Demon Squad. Every once in a while, I see him and Zabuza fight. Last time I checked, the matches are 5-to-4 in Zabuza's favor.**_

_**Takuma Chiba is the resident Taijutsu master of the group. I've seen the Chiba clan in action, facing down heavily armed ninja and samurai and they would come out on top. That was one of the reasons why I had him mentor Udon. The others tend to poke fun at his nature, calling him a philosopher with his head in the clouds. But in the moment of truth, there was no one in battle more fierce than a Chiba at your back. Personally, I would like to see him fight either Chouji or Rock Lee.**_

_**The second-oldest of the bunch was Roh Shainto. Both the Okajima and the Shainto ninja clans were natural rivals. Whenever they were not fighting together in the Unification Wars, they would occasionally try and one-up the other...with often hilarious results. While the Okajima specialized in assassination and stealth, the Shainto prefer to do their business up close and personal. He describes himself as a 'charismatic sociopath on the battlefield, but a gentleman off it.'**_

_**Haku Yuki Momichi was chosen by me personally because of her abilities over ice and water. Thought to have been killed during the Wave Mission years earlier, she was in fact alive alongside Zabuza. In the years following the mission into Wave, her abilities over water and ice had all but improved over time, making her even more deadly. Combined that with her taijutsu training from one of the Mist refugees, she was very deadly as an assassin. She was also my closet friend, given the life lessons I picked up from her back in Wave.**_

_**Last was the resident medic-nin of the group, Akemi Shiratori. The Shiratori and Yamada clans were close allies. When it was clear that Akemi had the potential of becoming a medic-nin, Akemi's parents sent her to train under Kokoro personally. Eventhough she did not have the ability to control fire, Akemi made up for it by being a master medic.**_

_**Back to the matter at hand...**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Ruins of Fire Temple, nighttime._

_Naruto watched silently as the twenty ROOT ANBU surrounded him and his escort. After ordering Team Misfit to back up Ryuji, he gave a silent command to his Elite Guard. The six shinobi and samurai spread out, ready to protect their Emperor._

_The Emperor's eyes narrowed as he saw the old warhawk and Sai approach him. In this case, he was thankful that he still had on the kage-style hat and face mask which concealed his identity. But he had changed out of his flak vest and into his normal vest and longcoat._

_Danzou stopped when he was double arms' length, Sai at his side._

_Naruto looked at the warhawk, then at the twenty ROOT that surrounded him and his escort. "Twenty ninja against myself and my escort? Hardly fair, old man."_

_"It shouldn't be fair," Danzou replied. "You killed two S-class criminals and beaten down three chuunin-level ninja. I'm simply not taking any chances."_

_"In my defense, the three ninja attacked me first. My target was the two Akatsuki. The Konoha ninja were simply in my way. You didn't come up here for a friendly chat. State your business."_

_Danzou was to the point. "You are to surrender at once. By order of the Godaime Hokage and the Konoha Council, you are summoned to Konoha for questioning. My ROOT are here just to make sure that you make the right choice. Of course...it would be such a shame for a person of your potential to be locked away. I can use someone like you in ROOT. I can protect you from that drunk of a Hokage and the rest of the clans. Join me, and I will make you my right-hand man. When the time comes for me to usurp the position of Hokage, I will make Konoha a village to be feared."_

_"Join your side and become a tool like the rest of your ROOT?"_

_"All ninjas are tools."_

_"Ninjas are not tools of anyone," Naruto replied. "As for your answer, the answer is no."_

_"Pity," Danzou replied. "Then you leave me no choice. Kill his escort and seize him."_

_As the ROOT moved in, Naruto merely smiled. "You really think your ANBU can stand a chance against my guards? You really need to get out more."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>We fought on the grounds of the destroyed temple. Twenty against seven seemed like an unfair fight. Only difference was the people of the West lived and breathed warfare. So Danzou was very surprised when we tore through his ROOT with little effort. I took down ten of them before turning to Danzou and Sai. The ink user found out the hard way that his ink attacks were ineffective against tsunami-force winds.<strong>_

_**Once Sai was taken care of, I turned to Danzou. The Fox Eye immediately identified the Uchiha's Sharingan. Unlike Hatake, he had several implanted; one in his left eye and the other in his hidden arm. I gotta thank Kitami when I return. The Fox Eye did as it was advertised. Danzou's Sharingans proved to be ineffective against my own bloodline when he tried to use it against me. **_

_**That didn't make him any less dangerous. I ended up fighting in a swordfight. The old man was good, I hate to admit. But he was pretty complacent in his superiority. But in the end, his sword was broken in two, and he was staring down at the pointy end of my blade. I think he was honestly shocked to see that his best ninja were defeated.**_

_**Killing him would only make things worse, so I spared his life. Danzou soon joined his ROOT in unconsciousness. By the time he and his group recover, I was be long gone.**_

_**Entry 5:**_

_**Visited Yukie in Spring Country. Actually, she invited me to the premiere of her newest movie, which she had shot back West. Afterward, she invited me and the guards to her estate in the Spring Capital. There, I entertained the Elite Guard with stories of my days as a Konoha genin, particularly the mission into Spring, then known as Snow. Now that Yukie's a Damiyo, she managed to get a small ninja village established. She took me there one time. The ninja were mostly refugees from Mist and from other villages that had fallen off the map. I'd say in a few years the Hidden Ice Village will be a force to be reckoned with. **_

_**I also received word from the Spring Branch of the Pekara Merchant House that the original Ino-Shika-Cho trio - consisting of Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara and Chouza Akamichi - were tailing me. This I already knew, since I saw them at the premiere. Chouza pretty much sticks out like a sore thumb, and if he was there, then his two buddies were not far behind. **_

_**The original Ino-Shika-Cho were pretty famous during the days of the last Shinobi War. Not as famous as my father, but still famous. Call it hubris, but I wanted to see just how good they really were.**_

_**Fortunately for them, they decided to come to me. It was in the evening when I was training in the woods surrounding Yukie's estate when they showed up.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Spring Country._

_Clad in his usual black flak vest, pants and boots, his face still concealed by the Kage-style hat and face mask, Naruto was performing his evening kata, knowing full well that he was being watched. Yukie was also present, chatting with Sana and Haku while the other four Elite Guards stood around, chatting amongst one another. _

_"Hiding in the shadows, trying to figure me out isn't going to get you nowhere," Naruto called out in a loud voice as he concluded his kata. "Step into the clearing."_

_As the Elite Guards drew their weapons, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka and Chouza Akamichi emerged from the forests. The Elite Guards were ready to attack, but a signal from Naruto stayed their hand. _

_"Shikaku Nara...Inoichi Yamanaka...Chouza Akamichi...Konoha's infamous Ino-Shika-Cho trio," Naruto drawled._

_Yukie's eyes narrowed. "Konoha ninja? Here?"_

_"They're here for me," Naruto replied casually. "Isn't that right?"_

_"That's right," Chouza said._

_"Can't help that I'm popular these days. I'm guessing that there's an ulterior motive you three decide to chase me down, aside the fact that it was on the orders of your Hokage."_

_Inoichi nodded. "You did attack our children. So yes, it's a parent thing. You must have parents, so you must understand the bond between a father and their child."_

_"I don't," Naruto replied flatly. "My parents died on the day I was born; my mother in childbirth, and my father in battle. The father figure I had died in a sneak attack when I was twelve. Enough talk. You came for me, so here I am. You don't have to worry about my guards interfering in our little dance."_

_"Pretty confident, are ya?" Chouza said as he and his teammates surrounded Naruto. _

_"It comes with experience and skill," Naruto replied. "I've always wanted to see how the famed Ino-Shika-Cho trio can fight. I hope you don't disappoint me."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>The original Ino-Shika-Cho proved to a bit tougher than the newer version. But in the end, they too were defeated. After they regained consciousness, Yukie chewed them out before sending them back to the border under guard.<strong>_

_**So far, it's Konoha, zero, Yours Truly, three.**_

_**Entry 6:**_

_**The Elite Guards has just went up from six to eight. The two newest members just so happens to be a founding member of the Akatsuki and his lover, who was the former leader of Amagakure.**_

_**How did that happen, you ask?**_

_**Well, as it turned out, my spy network back east had caught wind of a major defection from within their ranks. Male and female, mid-to-late twenties, the male an expert in gravity and water jutsu, the female a master of paper-style ninjitsu.**_

_**Yugito and Bee all voiced their opinions about me tracking down the heads of a organization consisting of S-class ninja. And believe me, I had my own concerns as well, but having two S-ranked people who know the organization inside and out could prove to be useful. I planned on dealing with the Akatsuki later on, since they are a credible threat, and the Akatsuki probably has it in for me for killing two of their members. **_

_**Well, I'm gonna piss them off even further by rescuing two more. **_

_**With Kitami as backup, I used the Demons' Gate Jutsu and came across their last known location: Forest Country.**_

_**Our timing could not have been more perfect, as the two ninja in question were being chased down by a quintet calling themselves the Five Paths of Pain. And from the look of things, these five were very, very deadly. Using my expertise as a tactician, I quickly came up with a plan. Kitami created 200 shadow clones of Hidan to keep the quintet occupied, while Kitami and I went after the two ninja.**_

_**Both were in bad shape, as the male ninja's final attack had drained the last of his chakra. And it was a pretty nasty gravity-based jutsu as well.**_

_**The Shinra Tesei. **_

_**While the five Akatsuki were stunned from the attack, I made my move.**_

_**As the Five Paths of Pain were distracted by Kitami's clones, Kitami and I grabbed the two injured ninja. The man started to sputter something until I stopped him with just eight words.**_

_**"Come with us if you want to live."**_

_**By the time Kitami and I returned to the Demon's Gate, the Five Paths of Pain were still fighting the Hidan clones. When we were safely back West, the clones dispersed, leaving Pain to figure out what the hell just happened. Once we were back home, I had both of them treated for their injuries, while at the same time, got their names. **_

_**The bluenette was Konan, and her companion was Yahiko. Yahiko Uzumaki.**_

_**And here, I thought I was the last Uzumaki. But it makes me glad that I have survivng clan members to call family. I then found out the reason why they were on the lam from the Akatsuki. Then again, Yahiko was surprised to find out that my mother was the former ruler of Whirlpool. Originally, they were called the Ame Orphans - Yahiko, Konan and another named Nagato. Much to my surprise, they were once students of Jiraiya when they were younger. **_

_**Yahiko had dreamed of bringing about peace to the shinobi world, and thus created Akatsuki. But over time, the organization had lost sight of their goals, and became corrupt. Yahiko was removed as leader in favor of Nagato.**_

_**As expected, things got worse. **_

_**Nagato was the one controlling the Five Paths of Pain - a deadly jutsu which allows Nagato to control five bodies separately via chakra rods in his body via the rods in their bodies at the same time. The studs were placed inside five corpses, reanimating them. The Five Paths were Animal Path, Human Path, Naraka Path, Asura Path, and Preta Path. Because of Yahiko's talent for Gravity jutsu, he would have been number six - the Deva Path.**_

_**Konan and Yahiko soon discovered that Nagato was just a puppet. The real head of the Akatsuki was Madara Uchiha. Kitami recognized the name, as did I. He was responsible for the events which shaped my life. What Yahiko told me was even more disturbing. Madara desired the power of the tailed beasts, which explained why Itachi and Kisame had chased me.**_

_**Kitami had filled me in on the backstory. The nine bijuu were originally the Ten-Tailed Beast. Its jinchuuriki was the Six Paths Sage. Fearing that the Ten-Tails would be released upon his death, the Six Paths Sage came up with a backup plan. He split the Ten-Tails into the nine tailed beasts and sealed the Ten-Tails Body in a stone prison, creating the moon. **_

_**Yahiko and Konan were surprised that Kitami knew about that little piece of information. They were pretty much shocked when they found out that Kitami herself was the Nine-Tails in human form, and that the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails were here.**_

_**Then they laid out the plan which caused them to flee the Akatsuki. Madara Uchiha's Eye of the Moon Plan. **_

_**The plan was simple. It was a plan for total world domination. It also explained Madara's interest in the tailed beasts. The Akatsuki would track down and retrieve the jinchuuriki and use a jutsu to remove the tailed beast from within their bodies, killing the host in the process. So far, they did this to Yagura, meaning that Mei didn't kill him, just simply took control of the Mist before it could erupt into civil war.**_

_**Once Madara had the power of the tailed beasts in his posession, he would fuse them back to their original form, and become the jinchuuriki to the Ten-Tails. He would then use his Eternal Magenkyou Sharingan, powered by the Ten-Tails to project an infinte Tsukyomi onto the moon in order to control any and everyone. And here, I thought Sasuke was bad. Madara's much worse. **_

_**The following day, I held an emergency meeting of the council. Temari had sat in. Terumi was out on retreat in the mountains. I invited Yahiko and Konan to the session and they told everything to the council. Suffice to say, the council was troubled. Only five Jinchuuriki were still left. And you can bet your last ryo that the Akatsuki will be combing the East for them. Gaara's well-guarded for the time being, so the other four are the problem.**_

_**I then proposed a strategy. Using the spy network back east, I find the jinchuuriki and offer them asylum here. The motion was passed. As for Konan and Yahiko, I had them placed on probation until the Akatsuki was destroyed. At least Yahiko and Konan understood the severity of the situation. As they were one former members of the Akatsuki, they had to earn their trust.**_


	6. Side Story: Alliances and Paybacks Pt 3

_**Side Story: Alliances and Paybacks, Part 3**_

Snafu's Notes: Glad to see that the story is getting so many positive reviews. Also, I switched out Han and Roshi's entry and placed it here. Yahiko and Konan are in the previous chapter, so feel free to look at that. Also, Yahiko is a gravity jutsu specialist, which means he can use the Shinra Tensei, albeit on a less-destructive scale.

Also, I switched out Han and Roshi's entry and placed it here.

_**Entry 8:**_

_**I received an unexpected guest in my Empire today. Kazuma appeared before me while I was going through some paperwork and gave me the news. There was a Sound envoy on their way to the Imperial Complex, a group of 20 ninja led by Kabuto. Not one to take any chances, I had Zabuza's Demon Brigade and Yugito's Hellcats on standby just in case things got a bit nasty. Looks like Orochimaru is looking for an alliance...as well as candidates for new bodies, since Sasuke is off-limits. I had Kabuto's escort wait outside the throne room, while I held an audience with Kabuto.**_

* * *

><p><em>[Flashback]<em>

_House of Sovereigns, Throne Room._

_Seated on his throne, Naruto eyed the white-haired man with a combination of disdain and suspicion. Kitami was not there, as he did not want her to give away any suspicion as to her true identity. The Kage-style hat was on his head, effectively hiding his face. Not to take any chances, his face was concealed by his mask._

_Kabuto Yakushi took a knee, head bowed. "Your Imperial Majesty," he began, "May your reign be a long and prosperous one. My name is Kabuto Yakushi. I represent Otogakure, the Village Hidden in the Sound. I bring greetings from my master, Lord Orochimaru."_

_Using his chakra to disguise his voice (think Naruto speaking in Wesker's voice), Naruto responded. "So what business does your master want with me?"_

_"Lord Orochimaru has been monitoring the events that have transpired here in the West with great interest," Kabuto said. "He is especially impressed that you have united the lands in so little time. He has sent me here to discuss terms of an alliance between your Empire and the Sound."_

_Naruto learned back on his throne. "Tell me, Yakushi...what would I gain should I ally myself to the Sound?"_

_"You would have the backing of one of the most powerful ninja in the East," Kabuto said. "Despite our small numbers, you would mostly benefit from Lord Orochimaru's guidance."_

_'In other words, take over my body since Sasuke is off limits, and use my army to invade Konoha,' Naruto thought darkly. The young Emperor made it look like he was in deep thought. "I am sorry, but a military alliance is not in the Empire's best interest."_

_"You misunderstood me, Your Majesty..." Kabuto began, but was cut off._

_"Oh, don't be coy, Yakushi," Naruto replied. "Do you really think that you are the first from the East to ask for an alliance? First it was the Rock...then it was the Cloud...you make number three. The people has seen war since the era of the Six Paths. Unlike the people of the East, they have not known a lasting peace. I saw the lawlessness of the lands and I gave them the peace they desired. I am merely a servant of the people and even an Emperor must listen to the will of the people. I am truly sorry that you have come this far, but tell your Lord Orochimaru that my answer is no."_

_Kabuto slowly nodded. "I see. In any case, Lord Orochimaru will be disappointed that you will not agree to the alliance. I thank you for your time, Your Majesty."_

_With a wave of his hand, Naruto excused Kabuto. As soon as Kabuto was out of the room, General Kazuma of the Shadow Company emerged from...quite literally, the shadows. _

_"That went well," Kazuma said. "Even better than expected."_

_"Have your men tail them," Naruto replied, removing his mask and returning to his normal voice. "Make sure that they are on the first boat out of Kimon. I don't trust him...or the snake."_

_"Why? What did Orochimaru did to you?"_

_"Orochimaru killed my mentor, and grandfather to Maru Sarutobi, Hiruzen Sarutobi," Naruto replied as he rose from his throne. "Between the snake and Konoha...I hate Orochimaru more. See to your orders, Kazuma."_

_Kazuma bowed. "Right away, my lord."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>I was tempted, honestly tempted to kill Kabuto and declare war on Orochimaru. But I held back. Killing Orochimaru would bring complications that would haunt me later on. Kazuma would later report that Kabuto and his Sound envoy had returned back East without incident.<strong>_

_**Entry 9:**_

_**Takuma was invited to a martial arts tournament in Tea Country. So the rest of the Elite Guards and Yours Truly went down to Tea to support him. Actually, I had to meet up with one of my informants who had information on Mist Country's Jinchuuriki, the renegade ninja Utakata. Plus, Mei was going to be there, so I had to talk to her about giving Utakata a pardon for going rogue.**_

_**With the exception of Mei and Gaara, most people here don't know that I am the Emperor of the West. All they knew about the Elite Guards is that they fought alongside the Emperor, and one of them would be competing in the tournament. I like playing the enigma. It makes it even more sweeter when those who ridiculed and hated me find out what I've become. Then again, there's Iwa and the fact that they hate my father's guts to the point that they would try and go to war against my home. Maybe if I crush the strongest village in the shinobi lands then that would make the others fall into line.**_

_**Nah...I want to be remembered for bringing about an everlasting peace, not for starting a Shinobi War. If Iwa does want a piece of the son of the Yondaime, I'd be more than happy to give it to them...on the receiving end of my sword.**_

_**Sorry, where was I...?**_

_**So I invited Mei to the Pekara Merchant House in Tea Country to discuss Utakata. When Mei asked me why, I simply told her the truth. The Akatsuki are looking for them, seeking the power of the tailed beasts. My plan is to simply intercept them to protect them and to give them a home, a place where they can belong, to live their lives in peace.**_

_**That pretty much cinched it for Mei, so she issued a pardon for Utakata on the spot.**_

_**The tournament lasted three days. Takuma Chiba was pretty much the talk of the entire tournament. Before it began, Takuma declared that he was doing this in honor of his Emperor. I simply told him do it for yourself, show the East what the Chiba clan can do.**_

_**At least he's humble and modest to a fault.**_

_**On the first day of the tournament, I noticed someone in the audience watching me. It was Tenten. Who else would wear her hair like that. From the look of things, she was promoted to Jounin. Excusing myself from the guards, I decided to take care of this personally. I left the arena, knowing full well that Tenten would soon follow.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Longcoat floating in the wind, Naruto made sure his mask was secured on his face, the Kage-style hat in place before retrieving a scroll from his coat. Unrolling it and smearing blood on it, the scroll activated, and his sword emerged from the parchment. Naruto picked up the sword by its scabbard, relishing in the weight of the weapon._

_The weapon was according to Sonshi, an O-katana. The O-katana is a older version of the standard katana, designed for somewhat taller samurai so they can use their height to their advantage. Naruto had found the weapon while returning from a successful campaign. While returning to Kimon City, Naruto was traveling through the Lahja Mountains, having cinched the northern half's loyalty when he came across a hidden cave. That was where he had found the sword...along with three hundred chests, each filled with golden bricks._

_The sword was definitely something that caught Naruto's eye. Later, Naruto would swear that he was drawn to the sword. He retrieved it and had his army to retrieve the gold, which would later be used to finance his Southern Campaign, and to rebuild the war-torn continents once the war was over. Some he gave to his soldiers and clan heads as bonuses and hazard pay, most of it went into the Imperial Treasury, and Naruto kept the rest._

_The sword, however was something that Sonshi took an interest in. It had belonged to a powerful warrior, who had forged the weapon from metal retrieved from a falling meteor, the blade itself being razor-sharp and indestructible. That was when Sonshi had taken Naruto on as his apprentice in the Samurai arts. The sword, as Naruto had found out, also had the ability to split into twin swords, making it an even more deadlier weapon in his hands._

_Naruto sensed movement from behind him, and smiled. Tenten has arrived. _

_"Either you're pretty brave...or pretty reckless to come alone," Naruto said as he turned around, facing his newest opponent. _

_"I could say the same for you," Tenten replied, sword drawn. "You're pretty infamous in Konoha."_

_"So I've heard. You're the fourth encounter I've had with the Leaf," Naruto replied, eyeing the Jounin vest she wore underneath (she's in her Allied Shinobi Forces uniform rather than her Shippuden outfit). He removed his longcoat and placed it to the side before drawing his sword and rested the scabbard alongside a tree._

_Tenten eyed the sword. "Now that is a very nice sword. You any good with it?"_

_Naruto smiled. "I was trained in both the samurai arts and in kenjutsu. So yeah, I'm good with the sword." _

_"You may be good, but I'm the best when it comes to weapons," Tenten said as she shifted into her stance._

_"Okay, then," Narto replied as he went into a very basic kendo stance. "Let's dance."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tenten improved. A lot, I must admit. Too bad I was kinda toying with her for most of the battle. So I was feeling a bit sadistic and I slapped her repeatedly with the flat of the blade, hoping to get a reaction from her.<strong>_

_**It worked.**_

_**She got pissed off enough to try the same trick she did with Temari. Can you say 'Deja vu?' I think Temari would be laughing her ass off when she found out that I blasted Tenten with Deadly Tempest. But I was at least nice enough to drop Tenten off at the local hospital instead of leaving her there in the forest. **_

_**Entry 10:**_

_**Rock Lee and Neji Hyuuga showed up the following day. Both had been promoted to Jounin, it seems. While Neji looked after Tenten, it was up to ol' Bushy Brows to uphold the honor of Team Gai. In the meantime, Takuma had breezed through the tournament. The only opponent that gave him a problem was the Taijutsu expert from Iwa. Needless to say, Chiba's opponent was very pissed when he lost. **_

_**So much so that he tried to ambush Takuma with myself and the other Elite Guards present after the second day. No, we didn't kill them...just sent them to the hospital with a wide assortment of broken bones and cuts, just to show that we were the wrong people to pick a fight with. It was after the second day of the tournament that Rock Lee showed up.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Tea Country, evening._

_The Elite Guards were at the local restaurant while Naruto decided to take a walk along a grove. The Emperor was dressed down in his standard uniform that he wore during the Unification Wars, the same uniform that he had on when he killed Hidan and Kazuku, but with one major difference. Rather than the Kage-style hat, he switched to a bandanna. The face mask remained on his face._

_Naruto knew that Rock Lee was tailing him. That was a given. But he had given him the slip when he entered the grove, so now the roles were reversed. Naruto was tracking him. 'Heh. Looks like Mr. Youthful is now a Jounin as well,' Naruto thought as he noticed the Jounin vest on Rock. 'Still can do better than that crappy spandex.'_

_Deciding that this little game has gone on long enough, Naruto decided to confront his former comrade._

_"Rock Lee. One-third of Team Gai. Second Green Beast of Konoha. It's a honor."_

_Rock Lee spun around, and saw Naruto leaning up against a tree, hands in his pockets, shoulders slumped. From the look of things, he was alone. "And you...you've attacked several teammates and comrades from the Leaf. That is most un-youthful."_

_"In my defense, they initiated combat when they challenged me," Naruto replied, standing straight up. "I was merely defending myself."_

_"You've been making a name for yourself," Rock Lee said, slowly sizing up his opponent. "Despite all of that, you did save Captain Sarutobi. I'll take that into consideration when I take you in."_

_"You can try," Naruto replied. "But...it won't be that easy for you. I hear you're a genius in Taijitsu. I'm an expert in the style myself." He shifted into his stance (think Kazuya's fighting stance). "So come on, Green Beast. Show me your stuff."_

_That cinched it for Rock Lee. "YOSH! You are indeed a worthy opponent!" He went into his Gouken stance. "This will be my most youthful performance yet!" _

_'I wouldn't hold my breath on that,' Naruto thought darkly._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>I took Bushy Brows to the brink in our little battle. He ended up opening three Lotus Gates and removing his weights. I decided to unleash a brand-new Taijitsu technique that I've been working on. <strong>_

_**The Shadow Dancer. **_

_**Similar to my classic Uzumaki Formation and Combo, only difference was instead of using my clones to attack, I used chakra-powered speed and power to smack Lee repeatedly. Kitami was right about thing...you can't dodge what you can't see. With the defeat of both Tenten and Rock Lee, it was only a matter of time before Neji would appear. **_

_**And given the fact that the pompous little shit threatened me with death should I return, I had a serious bone to pick with him. **_

_**Entry 11:**_

_**Takuma had won the tournament. Big surprise. At least the others were entertained, not to mention they won a pile of ryo for betting on Chiba. As Takuma fought, I felt the killer intent radiating in my direction. At the opposite end of the stadium, was Neji himself. His Bykaugan was activated, and he was glaring at me. Sorry, Hyuuga, but you won't see any red chakra in me. I freed Kitami, but no one from Konoha doesn't know about that little tidbit just yet. **_

_**Following the ceremony in which Takuma was crowned, Neji made his move. He called me out on the stadium's letdai.**_

(Snafu's Notes: The Letdai is a training platform. The best example of this is from Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance intro in which Shang Tsung and Quan Chi double-team Liu Kang)

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Neji Hyuuga stared impassively at the disguised Naruto. The same man that had killed to S-Ranked criminals belonging to the most infamous organization of missing ninja, we well as bested several clan heads and high-ranking chuunin and jounin (his teammates included). It was while he was at the hospital looking after Tenten that Rock Lee was brought in. He had fought the Man in Black and had lost. That, to Neji, was impossible. Rock Lee was the same as him, a prodigy. _

_Despite losing to the Man in Black, Rock Lee was in good spirits. He may had lost the battle, but the Man in Black had earned his respect._

_It was during the awards ceremony that Neji had crashed the ceremony, issuing his challenge to the Emperor._

_"You deserve praise for making it this far," Neji began. "But your luck ends here. As it is fate for me to be a member of the branch family of the Hyuuga, fate as deemed me as the winner. I will defeat you and bring you back to Konoha."_

_Naruto frowned. Neji had never gotten over that crap about fate. Then again, he said the same thing when he was banished. "I never got this far by living my life bound to fate. Fate and honor are designed for one thing. They are designed by weak people to keep the strong in line. There is no such thing as fate. There is only choice. The choice to do what is right. The choice to make your own destiny."_

_Neji's eyes were alight with anger as he activated his Bykaugan. "You lie. No one can change their fate. There was one who said the same thing...but he turned out to be a demon in disguise. You will see soon enough. I will show you why I am considered the best in the Hyuuga clan."_

_'Oh that's it,' Naruto thought. 'If the beatdown I gave him back during the Chuunin Exams was bad, I'm gonna do worse here.' Sighing, the former Konoha ninja cracked his knuckles. "At first, I was just going to fight you. Now...I'm gonna kick your ass." _

_To his Elite Guards and the judges, he barked out, "Leave us. He is mine."_

_As the Elite Guards and the judges piled off the leidai, bets were being taken. Neji was well-known in the East for his skills in Taijitsu, but he had never faced off against a revamped Naruto. This time, his chakra system wasn't messed up like last time. He was going to rip Neji a new one._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>Neji knew only one Taijutsu style. I know two. And since the Shadow Dancer technique was so nice, I did it twice. When Neji attempted the 64 Palms, I let loose with the Shadow Dancer. And just to be a total ass, each time I hit him, I struck his chakra points. <strong>_

_**Yeah, I admit it. I was a total jerkass when we fought. I had seen the Jyuuken in action many times back in Konoha...when I was chased by the villagers, I was on the receiving end of it by some unruly Hyuuga asshole who had too much to drink and wanted to take it out on the Kyuubi brat. As he slipped into unconsciousness, I left him with a parting shot: "You claimed to be the best...but you fell like the rest."**_

_**Entry 12:**_

_**No one from Konoha attacking me today. Good thing too. Something else did happen, though, despite me being on the tail end of this inspection tour. I heard reports of Iwa having not one, but two Jinchuuriki, both former Iwa ninja who had resigned and decided to wander. It took me a while, but my spy network came through. The ninja in question were Roshi and Han - jinchuuriki to the Four-Tailed Monkey and Five-Tailed Dolphin Horse respectively.**_

_**The bad news was that they were both being pursued by the Akatsuki. **_

_**But even bad news can be a blessing in disguise. Since I was already on the Akatsuki's radar by eliminating both Hidan and Kazuku, I tracked both of them down, as they were injured from their battle with Deidara and another member, some guy calling himself Tobi, and retrieved them both. An impressive feat, seeing as how I did it all alone. I guess it helped that I ambushed the both of them with a senjutsu-powered Deadly Tempest, then I used a shadow clone to retrieve the two men. **_

_**Iwa was out of the question, since Oneki would more than likely force them back into service, so I returned to Tea Country, where I used the Demon's Gate jutsu to return back to the West. At least the inspection tour was over. There, Han and Roshi had regained consciousness inside the guest quarters of the Imperial Palace. Yugito and Bee were there to greet them when they woke up. After making sure that they were fed, I summoned them to the House of Sovereigns.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_House of Sovereigns, Imperial Complex._

_Rather than meet the two jinchuuriki inside his throne room, Naruto had them led to his office, where he was just finishing up the pile of paperwork detailing the condition of his Empire. Kitami was with him. The humanized form of the Nine-Tails was scanning a document when Yugito led Roshi and Han inside the office. Almost immediately, Yonbi and Gobi went nuts._

_Kitami saw the looks on their faces and knew what that meant. "Roshi. Former ninja of Iwagakure no Sato, Jinchuuriki of Yonbi, the Four-Tailed Monkey. Han. Also a former ninja of the same vilage, Jinchuuriki of Gobi, the Five-Tailed Dolphin Horse."_

_"And you're the Nine-Tails," Roshi guessed._

_Kitami smiled. "How insightful of you. Yes, I am Kyuubi no Yokou, but my human name is Kitami Akashiya."_

_Han, in the meantime, was looking at Naruto with an odd look in his eyes. "Has anyone ever told you..."_

_Naruto cut him off. "...that I look a lot like Minato Namikaze? I get that a lot, seeing as how he was my father."_

_Han narrowed his eyes. "Didn't know he had a kid. You know he's well-hated in Iwa."_

_"For his actions in the last Shinobi War, I know," Naruto replied. "The only Konoha ninja in the Bingo Book with a Flee-On-Sight order."_

_"I heard rumors that a kid unified the lands here," Roshi said. "Never thought it would be Minato's son. That would make you the Emperor of the West. It was you that saved the both of us?"_

_Naruto nodded. "Yes on all counts. Take a seat. I'll tell you the entire story of how I ended up here."_

_It took Naruto ten minutes, but he laid it all down. From his childhood to being banished in the aftermath of the Sasuke Retrieval Mission to uniting the country under his rule. Even Roshi and Han were shocked to find out that he was banished not only for being the container of the Nine-Tails, but for simply doing his job._

_'__**The kid is telling the truth**__,' Gobi concurred. _'_**As crazy as this sounds, he's telling the truth.**_'

_'**He is not lying**,' Yonbi seconded. _

_Han leaned back in his seat. "Attacking a child for something not in his control. Such a disgrace. Banished for doing your job. If anything, the Uchiha should have been the one banished."_

_Roshi nodded. "Indeed. And the council's been blocking your progress despite your devotion to the Leaf?"_

_Naruto nodded. He then changed the subject. "Have you ever heard of the Akatsuki?"_

_The two men nodded. _

_"The Akatsuki are gathering the jinchuuriki for something big," Naruto explained. "My spies have been sending me reports about their motives. Does the name Madara Uchiha ring a bell?"_

_Both men nodded. _

_Naruto explained that Madara was the mastermind behind Akatsuki, and that he wanted the power of the tailed beasts for his Eye of the Moon Scheme, of which Naruto had explained to both men. So far, Naruto had remained one step ahead of the organization of S-ranked missing ninja. His interference in their attempts to capture Roshi and Han was another wrench tossed in the gears._

_"So you saved us from the Akatsuki?" Roshi asked._

_"Yup," Naruto nodded. "In this case, the Jinchuuriki should be united against the Akatsuki. They sent Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki to capture me when I was younger. They both failed. I rescued Yugito from them and offered Bee and his brother sanctuary within the Empire. The people know about my past and do not see me as a demon or a monster. They even seen Kitami in her true form and did not run away."_

_"What are you offering?" Han asked._

_"Sanctuary within the Empire," Naruto said. "Protection from the Akatsuki and all your enemies. You can settle anywhere you wish. Even become a leader of a village. But the time will come where we must take a stand against the Akatsuki."_

_"And what do you want in return?" Han asked._

_"Your loyalty. That's all I ask. If you wish to return back East, then I will not stop you. What do you say?"_

_Seeing as how they had nothing left for them back East, they chose to stay._

_"Okay, Lord Namikaze," Roshi said. "I accept your offer. I would like to wander around a bit, get my bearings straight."_

_Naruto nodded. "Of course." He then turned to Han. "What about you?"_

_"I'm more at home in the mountains," Han replied. _

_"There's several mountain villages in the Lahja Mountains north of here," Naruto explained. "Damiyo Todo said she needed some help in one of the villages. Said that their village elder had passed away and they need a new leader. Are you up to the task, Han?"_

_Han nodded. _

_Naruto smiled. "Good. Welcome to the Western Empire."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><strong>Entry 13:<strong>

**Han and Roshi fit in pretty well. Well actually, Roshi has taken to wander in the Southern Region, hanging around in either South Ichiyama or Tears' Point, while Han made his home in the mountain town of Ueto. When I visited Damiyo Todo, she was happy to say that Han had taken his role as protector very well. Of course, I had to see for myself, but after making a trip to the village, I saw it for myself.**

**Roshi had told me that Han had a chip on his shoulder the size of the Hokage Monument over how he was treated. Can't say I really blame him, since it was the same with me back in Konoha. I can honestly say that Han had found the peace he had long sought. Even Roshi had to agree when he came to visit his partner. The kids like him, even calling him 'The Giant,' as it was clear that he was the tallest man in the village, if not the entire Empire.**

**I could have sworn that one of the ladies was making eyes at him...oh well, not my business to pry into other people's affairs. As long as they are happy, then I know I did a good job. In the meantime, I think it would be best that I would hang around here for a while. Let things die down. Maybe Konoha would forget about me.**

**Then again, Konoha never let certain things go. I can expect another run-in with my past soon enough.**

**Entry 14:**

**Today, I stuck it to the Akatsuki yet again. **

**I found out that two teams of the Akatsuki were looking for Utakata. I met the guy back when I was younger, so I knew what he looked like, as well as how he fought. As for the teams of Akatsuki, they were Itachi and his partner and the Five Paths of Pain. Kitami used a shadow clone and placed it under a henge to make it look like Utakata and sent it to distract Pain, while three of the Elite Guards, Kitami and I went after the real one.**

**Utakata was currently engaged in combat with Itachi and Kisame. We simply waited until Itachi and his partner had beaten down Utakata before we made our move.**

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Near the Lightning Border..._

_"Fire Release: Deadly Tempest!"_

_Itachi and Kisame leapt back from the deadly blast of superheated air, which had reduced several trees to instant ash, the unconscious Utakata slung over the traitorous Uchiha's shoulder. In an instant, Kisame had Samehada out, ready to shred any and everything. Since Naruto didn't had time to change out of his usual attire (i.e., vest, longcoat, pants and boots), he only had on the black hat. This time, he went without his face mask. _

_The Emperor had his sword drawn. "You have my thanks. Utakata is pretty hard to find," he said, looking at Itachi. "But this is where I come in. Utakata is coming with me. Drop the jinchuuriki and step back."_

_"The Akatsuki has been looking for him for quite some time," Itachi replied. "This has nothing to do with you. Leave."_

_"Can't do that, Itachi Uchiha. Drop the jinchuriki or there will be trouble."_

_At that, Kisame attacked. Holding the bandaged sword high, he charged. Imagine the shark-man's shock when Naruto merely knocked Samehada out of his hands with his O-katana, right before kicking it into a tree. After decking the renegade Mist swordsman, he turned to Itachi._

_"Now that your partner is out of the way..."_

_Itachi cut him off by saying one word. "Tsukyomi," he deadpanned, his Sharingan morphing into the Magenkyou as he stared right into Naruto's eyes._

_If anything, Naruto's golden eyes showed amusement. Itachi was surprised to see that his technique didn't work. Meanwhile, Kisame had retrieved Samehada and was back at Itachi's side. Even he was shocked to see that the Magenkyou was ineffective._

_"Nice try, Uchiha," Naruto remarked dryly. "Your Mangenkyou is no match for my bloodline, if I can be so modest. Not only it increases the power of my jutsu and seals to rival the power of the Legendary Sages, it also makes me immune from all forms of genjutsu...including your dreaded Tsukyomi." His grip on his sword tightened. "This can end in two ways. And in both of them, the Rokubi jinchuuriki comes with me."_

_"You make it sound like we have no choice," the fallen Uchiha replied._

_"You don't," Naruto said as he prepared for battle. "It's my way, or...ah, screw it, it's my way."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>It was a two-on-one match between Yours Truly and the two Akatsuki. Kitami and the Elite Guard had retrieved Utakata and his student, a woman named Hotaru who had came across the battle. Anyone would have been crazy to take on two S-class missing ninja by themselves, but then again, I'm not your average warrior. Kisame was easy to dispatch. Oh, did I forgot to mention that my sword was indestructible, and almost hacked Samehada into pieces? That forced the sword to absorb Kisame's chakra, which drained him to the point where I could easily drop him. Then I fought Itachi. Hard to believe that he murdered his clan just to test his skills. <strong>_

_**No wonder Sasuke was so screwed in the head. **_

_**Since his Sharingan proved to be ineffective against me, Itachi went for his ANBU-issued katana. Now this was starting to get very interesting. I guess I should mention that my sword has a real interesting technique...it can split in two. The look on Itachi's face was priceless. After five minutes of swordplay, Itachi unleashed Amaterasu. The black flames did a pretty damn good job of scorching the trees...as well as hiding my Hirashin. I ended the battle by wrapping Itachi up with chakra chains. **_

_**Sheathing my sword, I saw that the Elite Guards had left the scene with my prize. Turning to Itachi, I left him with a parting shot. **_

_**"Your life is yours still, Itachi Uchiha. But the next time we meet...you will die."**_

_**As I turned from the two Akatsuki, I stopped and turned around. Hiding in the brush were three ninja. Two were living hives while the other had chakra which reminded me of Old Man Sarutobi.**_

_**Asuma Sarutobi and the Aburame, Shibi and Shino.**_

_**I looked dead at Asuma and wondered if I should pick a fight with the old man's son and the two Aburame. I decided against it and left the scene, leaving two unconscious Akatsuki and three bewildered Konoha ninja. The clone that Kitami had used to distract the Five Paths of Pain vanished, its job done.**_

_**Back West, Utakata regained consciousness the following day. There, I told him everything, about the Akatsuki's motives and my own plans in dealing with them. Utakata was surprised (who wasn't) when he found out that I was now the Emperor, but he was no fool. A chance of a fresh start with his student was too much to pass up. He agreed to my offer of sanctuary within the Empire. **_

* * *

><p>Konohagakure no Sato, the following day...<p>

Upon their return to the village, Asuma Sarutobi, along with Shibi and Shino Aburame headed straight to the Hokage Tower to deliver their report.

Asuma had been released from the hospital the previous week, and was assigned patrol duty so he could get back into the niche of things. Instead, he and the two Aburame stumbled upon Itachi and Kisame near the Lightning border and witnessed a confrontation with The Man in Black over Utakata.

Only the Shinobi half of the Konoha Council was present, as Tsunade had ordered the civilian half to leave, as she was getting tired of their rampant stupidity, especially from Asana Haruno. The civilian council wanted to place Jiraiya inside the Bingo Book as an S-ranked missing ninja, but Tsunade had refused. When they did it regardless - placing the Toad Sage as an S-ranked criminal with a retrieve-on-sight order - the Fire Damiyo was furious. Tsunade had suspended the civilian side of the council for a month without pay, while the Fire Lord reduced Konoha's military aid by half and sent their B and A-ranked assignments to Wind Country for the next year. Jiraiya was no traitor, as the Toad Sage was in contact with the Fire Damiyo himself, and was granted immunity after leaving Konoha.

Suffice to say, Jiraiya was taken out of the Bingo Book almost immediately. Even Danzou was against the council's move, which was surprising to most people. After all, Jiraiya was more useful alive instead of dead.

Tsunade and the Shinobi half of the council listened to the report with great interest of the confrontation with the Man in Black and the Akatsuki. Also present was Sasuke Uchiha, recently promoted to Jounin. It was through his hard work, not because of his name, that Tsunade finally relented and allowed him to take the Jounin Exams. But Sasuke knew that Tsunade despised him for his role which led to Naruto being banished.

Sasuke was also interested in the Man in Black. He has, after all, came out victorious against the best Konoha had to offer. Now, he fought his brother and his partner and had soundly defeated them in battle.

"So it's true," Tsunade said. "The Akatsuki are gathering the jinchuuriki." She only hoped that Naruto was safe. Jiraiya was no help, since he has deprived the Leaf his spy network.

"That can prove to be a problem for the Akatsuki," Shikaku Nara pointed out. "Yugito Nii, the container for the Two-Tails has disappeared following Uzumaki's banishment. And just recently, Han and Roshi have also vanished. The Akatsuki did not intercept them. If anything, I'm willing to bet that the Man in Black has something to do with those incidents."

Sasuke winced. Uzumaki. He still blamed himself for his attempted defection. Naruto was banished for simply doing his job in bringing him back. He kept his distance from Kakashi and Sakura. Kakashi had pretty much abandoned Naruto, while Sakura still called for his death behind Tsunade's back. In the months following Naruto's banishment, even he saw that things had went bad for the Leaf, despite what the civilian council had said. Konoha had lost every single trade agreement and alliance it has forged because of his former teammate and has become a virtual pariah in the shinobi community.

Iruka Umino was dead, having committed suicide in the months following Naruto's banishment. Like the others, he had forsaken Naruto in his time of need. It was Sasuke who had found his body, having slit his wrists with a kunai, unable to live with the guilt of betraying Naruto. Sasuke covered up the suicide in his official report, claiming that Iruka had simply lost the will to live. He was buried in the Konoha graveyard. Only Tsunade knew the truth.

Iruka had left behind a suicide note. All it said was _**I'm sorry. He deserved better. We do not deserve his forgiveness. We all abandoned him in his darkest hour.**_

On Tsunade's orders, Sasuke incinerated the suicide note.

Teuchi and Ayame's business were hit hard in the following months. When confronted by Asana Haruno, they refused to recant and declare Naruto a demon, the civilian council, led by Haruno had virtually boycotted their ramen shop. In retaliation, Teuchi and Ayane closed down and moved to Wave Country, where the people welcomed them with open arms. Sasuke had heard that Ichiraku's was doing a lot better than it did back when it was in Konoha.

"The Man in Black has proven to be a worthy adversary," Asuma continued. "We also gained some new information regarding him."

"Such as?" Chouza Akamichi prodded.

"He has a bloodline," Shino said. "He didn't say its name, but gave a detailed description as to what it can do. Captain Sarutobi stated in his report in regards to the confrontation with Hidan and Kazuku that Hidan's immortality was nullified with his seals. It's the most logical conclusion that the man is a top-notch seal master, of which he verified when he fought Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki."

"He said that not only his bloodline boosts the seals' effectiveness," Asuma continued, "but casting genjutsu on him would not work, as his bloodline makes him immune, as Itachi failed to pull him into Tsukyomi. It also nullifies the Sharingan's ability to copy jutsu. Lastly, his bloodline also allows him to cast senjutsu-level jutsu."

'No wonder why my Sharingan didn't work,' Danzou thought, remembering the confrontation at the ruins of Chiriku's temple. 'But this boy is proving to be even more interesting every time I hear about him. I was careless the last time. He is a perfect candidate for being Konoha's ultimate weapon. Next time I see him, I will take him down.'

"After defeating both Uchiha and his partner, he started to leave with his entourage...but he stopped and looked right at me," Asuma noted.

"His face...did you see his face?" Koharu demanded.

Asuma shook his head. "No. Not his face. I saw his eyes. They were the color of pure gold. Then he turned and walked away. He had what he came for, so fighting us would have been moot."

"The bloodline could have something to do with his eyes," Shibi said. "But that is just an estimated guess at best."

"Lady Hokage, this is very unnerving news," Honmura said. "We should place this man in the Bingo Book as a A-ranked criminal with orders to retrieve on sight."

"Whoever this man is, he has not killed any Konoha ninja," the Godaime replied. "And you know the law, Mitokado. Unless a Konoha ninja dies at his hands, then we cannot place him in the Bingo Book. I honestly think that the civilian council's stupidity is rubbing off on you and Koharu." Ignoring the blubbering advisers, Tsunade continued. "My order still stands. Find him and bring him in. I don't care if you have to use diplomacy or brute force."

At that, Tsume Inuzuka smiled. After seeing the failed attempts of both generations of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Team Gai and Danzou's ROOT ANBU, the feral clan head was itching for a chance to fight the mystery man. It had been a while since the elite Jounin had a good match, and she felt that the mystery man could give it to her.

Snafu's Notes: Next Chapter...THE INUZUKA AND KAKASHI vs NARUTO! No flashback this time around for this match. Oh, and in case you didn't notice, there's some Duke Nukem references in Naruto's dialogue.


	7. Side Story: Alliances and Paybacks Pt 4

**Side Story 4: Alliances and Paybacks, Part 4**

Deserted Village of Yugakure, Hot Water Country.

Inside a deserted bathhouse, Naruto cursed to himself for the sixth time that morning as he received the memories of the clone he had left at the Hot Water Capital.

The new Hot Water Damiyou had sold him out to the squad of Konoha Ninja that were heading this way in exchange for a hefty reward. Among the six-man squad of Jounin-level ANBU Black Ops, they were being led by Kakashi Hatake and backed up by the Inuzuka Matriarch and her son.

Naruto was in Hot Water Country with his Elite Guard for an overnight stay before heading over to Spring Country. He was smart enough not to trust the cocky young Damiyou, who had ascended to the position following the death of his father. Naruto had passed through the Hot Water Capital with his Elite Guards and had decided to check out the former ninja village of Yugakure, Hidan's former village. The village had became a tourist town, forcing Hidan to leave. When Hidan returned after joining Akatsuki, he had Kazuku in tow. Together, they put the entire village to the sword.

Only five survivors had escaped the village, and Yugakure was abandoned. The local people said that the city was cursed by the insane Jashin priest/ninja.

Now, Naruto was hiding out, waiting for the arrival of his former sensei and the two Inuzuka. He had ordered the Elite Guard to keep the ANBU occupied while he dealt with Kakashi and the Inuzuka. Naruto did not forget their reactions to his banishment. He did not forget the cold indifference of his former sensei, or the death threats that were directed to him from the Inuzukas. And he wasn't in a forgiving mood. His spy network inside Fire Country had proven their worth. Not that he already knew how the Konoha 11 fought, but that he kept up with his former teammates' progress ever since he established the Pekara Merchant House in Fire Country.

The Emperor had changed out of his casual attire and into his standard battle gear; mesh shirt, black combat pants, and boots. His black flak vest was the last item he regarded for a moment. Black like the Sound flak vests, but it was similar in design like Konoha, only there was no Whirlpool spiral on the back. It was his favorite. He slipped it on and checked his items for the upcoming battle.

'Scrolls...check. Standard kunai...check. Sword...check.'

The second clone that he had placed at the village gates had dispersed, Naruto gaining its knowledge. They were here. Placing his face mask over his face and his bandanna over his hair, Naruto secured the sword over his shoulder and stepped outside to face his former sensei and the Inuzuka.

* * *

><p>At the Entrance...<p>

The massive one-eyed dog with the missing ear sniffed the air. "He is close. Very close."

Tsume Inuzuka gave her pet a pat on the head. "Good, Kuromaru."

Kiba Inuzuka gave Akamaru a pat on the head to soothe its whining. "I know boy. I know. This place freaks me out too."

The team from Konoha were in a neighboring village when they received word from one of the Hot Water Damiyou's minions. The man they were looking for was in the capital, but was now headed in the direction of Yugakure. Several miles out from the city, the three Jounin and their ten-man team of ANBU Black Ops had encountered the Man In Black's bodyguards.

While the ANBU kept the bodyguards occupied, the Inuzuka and Kakashi headed for the deserted village, where they quarry awaited their arrival.

After seeing their fellow ninja brought back empty-handed, Tsume had been itching for a chance to take on the Man in Black. When word reached the Konoha ninja that the mystery man was in the vicinity, the Special Jounin immediately jumped at the chance. Kakashi, along with her son, who was also in training for becoming a Special Jounin, had tagged along.

"So this is Yugakure," Tsume quipped as the trio of Jounins walked through the gate. "Hidan's hometown, right?"

Kakashi nodded. "It was...until the village went from a hidden ninja village to a hidden springs resort. Hidan didn't take it very well and left. When he returned, he was a follower of Jashin and had Kazuku with him. What those two had done had made the Uchiha Massacre look like a backyard brawl. Out of a village of over three hundred, only five survived. I can see why our friend chose this village. The locals believe that it's cursed."

Tsume snorted. "Superstitious fools. Pretty smart for him to have his bodyguards keep the ANBU occupied."

"Divide, then conquer," Kiba seconded. "I can see why the others lost to him."

"They didn't have a Special Jounin and a master of the Sharingan along with them," Tsume said. "The others were careless."

"This is not a game, Inuzuka," Kakashi pointed out. "We have our orders. We have to bring him in for questioning."

Tsume started to reply to that before she spied movement. "There!" she shouted as she and Kiba charged forward...

...only to have Kakashi restrain the both of them. "Could be a trap," he said. Raising his hitai-ate, exposing his Sharingan. He created five shadow clones and sent them off in the last known direction of the person Tsume saw running into what used to be the village's inn.

Watching from his perch several buildings away, Naruto shook his head. "All too predictable, Hatake," he muttered to himself as the five clones chased after his own shadow clone.

A shadow clone loaded down with explosive tags.

"Five...four...three...two...one...and..." Naruto covered his ears.

**BOOM!**

The blast three the three ninja off their feet, while the two dogs threw themselves to the ground. Naruto chuckled softly. It was time to get reacquainted with his former sensei and the Inuzuka.

* * *

><p>'I really hate being right,' Kakashi thought. The son of Sakumo Hatake rose to his feet, as did Tsume and Kiba. "You two okay?"<p>

Tsume nodded. "Yeah."

Kiba grunted in response. "Looks like you called it right, Hatake. It was a trap."

Kakashi looked forward. "And there he is."

Tsume looked forward. Kiba did the same, as Kuromaru and Akamaru growled. Stepping through the fire, like a demon out of hell, was Naruto. Kakashi looked upon his opponent. Little did he know that the Man in Black was his former student, the same one he had written off as worthless years earlier when he was banished. Tsume and Kiba were elated. Here was the Man in Black, the same person who had killed Hidan and Kazuku and had gone through Danzou and his ROOT, both generations of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, held his own against Itachi and Kisame, and had beaten down Team Gai.

Naruto cracked his knuckles, which was followed by him rotating his neck muscles. He was primed and ready to deliver some much needed payback upon these three.

_'You did this to your teammate? You are worse than trash. You are scum.'_

_'My mom was right about you! You're nothing but a damn demon! I'll kill you the next time I see you again!'_

This time around, his chakra control wasn't screwed up like it was during the Chuunin Exams. It was time for some get-even.

Kiba looked at the disguised Naruto. "This is what got Konoha riled up? He doesn't look like much."

"Don't underestimate him, Kiba," Kakashi warned. "He is labeled as an S-ranked ninja."

Tsume smiled. Oh, this was going to be fun.

Naruto watched as Kiba performed the Inuzuka's signature jutsu. "Beast Ninja Jutsu: Four Legs," Kiba shouted.

Had Naruto did have his mask on, Kakashi would have seen the evil smirk on his face as Kiba crouched down on all fours, his already feral features becoming even more feral, his chakra radiating from their bodies.

Naruto wondered why Tsume wasn't going feral alongside her son. Then it hit him. She was sizing him up, along with Kakashi.

"So..." Naruto began, his eyes the color of pure gold, "been looking for me?"

"Akamaru, stay back! He's mine!" Kiba shouted as he charged.

Naruto shifted his body to the side as Kiba reappeared, his elbow striking nothing but air.

"You missed, Kiba Inuzuka," Naruto deadpanned.

Kiba blinked. "You know me?"

That one distraction cost the male Inuzuka, as he did not see Naruto's fist on a course for his chin. It was a full-body swing too, came out of Konoha from where he was born, hooked a right through the ninja academy, picked up even more speed through the chuunin exams, and was forged in the fires of the Unification Wars.

**CRUNCH.**

Kakashi winced as the Uppercut from Hell caught Kiba square in the chin and launched the feral boy in the air and backwards. He landed on his back, and slid to a stop in front of his dog, Tsume, Kuromaru and Kakashi.

Kiba shook off the blow...but even he had to admit that it hurt like hell.

Naruto chuckled darkly. This reminded him of the first time he had fought the Inuzuka during the Chuunin Exams, when Kiba knocked him on his ass.

Kiba tasted blood. He spat it on the ground.

"First time in a while since someone made me bleed," Kiba said as he retrieved two familiar-looking pills. "Looks like the rumors were right about you...but it's not enough! Akamaru!"

The dog barked as Kiba tossed one of the pills in his mouth, while he swallowed his own. When Akamaru's fur turned red, Naruto knew what was going to happen.

Tsume smiled as her son performed the Beast Clone Jutsu. 'It's over. Kiba has won.'

Kakashi did not share in Tsume's optimism as Akamaru transformed into a clone of Kiba.

"You can stop the macho act..." the real Kiba began.

"...and give up," the false Kiba finished. "You're finished."

"You think that, wouldn't you?" Naruto replied. "Defeat me first, then boast. Until then, less talking, more fighting."

Both Kibas charged. Much to their surprise, Naruto charged in as well, leaving only an afterimage of him standing before. Much to Tsume and Kakashi's surprise, Naruto was holding his own against Kiba and Akamaru.

"Amazing," Kakashi muttered as he tracked the action with his Sharingan. "Rock Lee said that this guy's taijutsu was flawless. He's keeping up with Kiba. Even more interesting is that he's not using his chakra to to it."

Tsume growled. She had taught her son better than this.

Meanwhile, Naruto was calmly blocking, dodging and weaving through the two Kiba's attacks. 'Let's see if I can provoke him into doing the Gatsuga,' Naruto thought. His Fox Eye knew which Kiba was the real one and which was Akamaru, tagging both of them with several blows of his own, enraging the dog lover when he failed to strike him. Ducking underneath their punches, Naruto knocked them both back with a power punch to the breastplate. Then he grabbed a handful of Kiba's flak vest, pulled him in and began to punch him in the face several times before let go of the dog ninja and ducked, just as the Kiba clone pounced, crashing into the real Kiba instead.

"Pitiful," Naruto sneered.

Kiba growled. He had not laid a single blow on this guy and he was moving just as fast. On top of that, his eye was swollen shut from the guy's rapid fire-style of punches. Pulling a smoke bomb out of his pouch, he had the false Akamaru keep him occupied when he flung the bomb at Naruto's feet. Upon hearing the coughing and hacking, Kiba saw that his much-needed opening had appeared.

"Akamaru, NOW!" Kiba shouted as they both charged into the smoke spinning into the Inuzuka signature technique. "GATSUGA!"

**WHAM!**

When the smoke cleared, both Kiba and Akamaru, who had reverted back into his original form, stood proud and tall over the still form of the Man in Black.

"Heh," Kiba breathed. "Told you...that you already lost."

Tsume let out a whoop of joy. "That's my boy! You showed him what the Inuzuka could do!"

Her and Kiba's elation was short-lived, as the body of the Man in Black vanished in a poof of smoke. Kakashi spied movement from above and looked up...

"KIBA! WATCH OUT!" Kakashi shouted, pointing upwards.

Kiba looked up, just in time to see Naruto sailing at him as he finished off several seals.

"Wind Release: Deadly Tempest!"

Kiba didn't know what hit him. All he felt was a blast of supercooled air that struck him with the force of a stampeding bull, which

"All too easy," Naruto replied as he rose to his full height.

'Impressive,' Kakashi thought. 'When Kiba threw that smoke pellet, he used a shadow clone while he escaped. I barely registered him jumping into the air. He masked his chakra while at the same time, using it to escape the Gatsuga. His mastery of battle tactics is on par with the Nara. And that jutsu...'

Tsume shook her head. "Kiba...you idiot."

As Akamaru reverted back to its original form, Kiba said one thing before losing consciousness. "Momma...I hurt."

"Kuromaru...ready?" Tsume asked as she rose to her height.

"As always," Kuromaru replied.

"My son may be Jounin, but he still has a lot to learn," Tsume said. She then activated the beast mimicry, followed by the beast clone, transforming Kuromaru into a clone of herself. "I am the Matriarch of the Inuzuka Clan, Special Jounin Tsume Inuzuka. You have proven to be a worthy adversary in your encounters with my fellow ninja. But it ends here."

"Then show me, Tsume Inuzuka," Naruto replied as he went into another stance (think Gouken's stance from SSF4). "Show me what a Special Jounin can do." There was no arrogance in his voice. His tone was casual, borderline cordial.

It then dawned on Kakashi. He was toying with them. "Tsume, STOP!"

Too late, Tsume and Kuromaru charged. Claws outstretched, the two Tsumes attacked. This time around, she didn't make it easy for Naruto. The Emperor took one step back in order to keep Tsume from clawing his face off, allowing the Tsume clone to catch him with a dropkick to the chest, causing him to stumble. Capitalizing on her advantage, Tsume pressed on the assault, succeeding in tearing a gash in Naruto's flak vest.

"I'll tear you apart piece by piece, if I have to," Tsume snarled.

"Trust me. It won't come to that," Naruto replied, right before unleashing his own counterattack.

Tsume felt the air rush out of her lungs when Naruto punched her hard in the stomach, followed by an elbow to the gut. The Tsume clone got a knee to the chin when it tried to sneak attack from behind.

It was at that moment that Kakashi realized that Kiba was gone.

"TSUGA!"

**CRUNCH.**

Kiba had struck from behind when Naruto was distracted by Tsume. The impact of the blow had sent Naruto crashing through a wall.

"Catch me off guard, will he?" Kiba said as he took a knee, the Tsuga taking a lot out of him. "Never underestimate the Inuzuka Clan."

Tsume smirked as Kuromaru reverted back to his usual form. "Sorry, Hatake. Looks like you get to sit this one out. The honor of capturing the Man in Black is ours. Kuromaru, Akamaru...retrieve our prey."

Kuromaru and Akamaru barked in response and rushed in after Naruto. Kakashi could not shake off the feeling of dread that was creeping in his gut. 'That was too easy. Unless...'

His fears were verified when the unmistakable sound of a trap were sprung, the victims being the two dogs of the Inuzuka.

Naruto stepped out of the hole he had made, looking worse for the wear, but still able to fight. His flak vest and mesh shirt were shredded from Kiba's Tsuga. "That hurt...almost," he said as he discarded the shirt and vest, leaving him naked from the waist up. Kakashi took notice of the numerous scars on his chest and torso (think the smaller scars Kazuya has on his body), a sign of a battle-hardened warrior.

"Where's Akamaru and Kuromaru?" Tsume demanded.

"I didn't kill them," Naruto replied. "They're incapacitated, but alive."

"You were holding back all this time." The way Kakashi had said it was as if he was stating a fact.

"Of course," Naruto replied as he prepared himself for the upcoming assault. "No matter how random things are...I always have a plan. And half of that plan has been executed by removing those walking fur coats out of the equation. The second half...is simply beating you three down." Assuming his fighting stance he said, "So, who wants to dance?"

"Shut up! You talk to much!" Kiba shouted as he charged.

"Kiba! WAIT!" both Kakashi and Tsume shouted.

Too late. Kiba's hotheadedness had cost him.

**CRUNCH.**

Naruto's fist had broken Kiba's nose. As Kiba screamed in pain, Naruto swung his other fist with chakra-backed strength, catching Kiba on the jaw. The sickening **CRACK** that followed had verified that Kiba's jaw was broken. The male Inuzuka was sent flying before falling into a heap on the ground.

"KIBA!" Tsume screamed.

Naruto smirked evilly. Kiba was just too predictable. "One Inuzuka down. One to go."

This time, Kakashi joined the enraged Inuzuka clan head in attacking the Emperor, Kakashi armed himself with a pair of kunai. This time around, Naruto had stopped holding back. Summoning a chakra chain and stiffening it so that he could wield it as a staff, Naruto went on the attack. He slapped the kunai out of Kakashi's hands and swept him off his feet, the older man was forced to roll out of the way when the Emperor attempted a leaping overhead strike, causing him to miss.

Tsume attempted a Tsuga of her own, but Naruto used the chain as a pole-vault, propelling himself into the air, just as Tsume spun past him. When she landed, she felt the chain-like staff strike her on the back of her skull, leaving her stunned. Kakashi tried to attack Naruto from behind, only to find himself in a reverse armbar, and getting his face punched in repeatedly, as did Kiba before him, right before throwing him towards Tsume. The Inuzuka Matriarch jumped over Kakashi and went on the attack. Naruto's fist bounced off her head, followed by the punch to her breastplate, which despite the flak vest, still hurt like crap. The roundhouse kick to the side of her head sent her spinning to the ground.

Kakashi retrieved his kunai and lunged forward, but Naruto elbowed him in the face, grabbed a handful of his hair and with one blow, ruptured his left eye socket. Twisting his former sensei's body so that he was bent and facing the ground, Naruto slammed his knee into his face before grabbing his jaw and flung him away.

Tsume recovered and caught Naruto, raking her nails across his torso. Naruto simply ignored the pain and continued to fight. Ducking under a claw swipe to the face, Naruto punched Tsume's torso with twenty blows in the space of three seconds, follwed by a right cross which busted her lip, and a kick to the chest, knocking her back.

Naruto turned to Kakashi, who was just finishing up a long string of seals.

'Now what?' Naruto thought as he looked at Kakashi, who was standing next to a lake. 'Monkey...bird..yang water...rat...boar...bird...' His eyes widened as he recognized the jutsu, as it was also used by Zabuza and Haku. 'Oh, crap.'

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!" Kakashi shouted.

Naruto's reaction was instant. When the massive water dragon reached its apex, Naruto began his own set of hand seals. One thing about Naruto was his uncanny talent for battle tactics, which was honed during his years of fighting in the Unification Wars. As Kakashi and Tsume watched, Naruto countered Kakashi's jutsu with his own, just as the water dragon dove for him.

"Fire Release: Deadly Tempest!" Naruto bellowed.

The vortex of superheated air crashed into the water dragon, cancelling the other out. It also had the effect of blanketing the entire area with steam.

'He knows fire jutsu as well?' Kakashi wondered as he felt Tsume back up to him. 'Damn it. Asuma and the Aburame called it right. His eyes are blocking the Sharingan's ability to copy his jutsu!'

"Where is he?" Tsume demanded.

"I can't see anything! We have to wait until the steam clears."

Naruto, in the meantime, could see everything. Deciding to incapacitate Tsume first, he created a shadow clone to get her attention. The decoy worked, and Tsume went after it, ignoring Kakashi's yells for her to stop.

"TSUGA!" Tsume screamed as she drilled through the steam, striking the decoy in the back. Had she been paying attention, she would have saw that it was a clone. Once she landed, Naruto struck with brutal efficiency. Tsume spun around, and threw one clawed hand at Naruto...

...only to have the younger man grab her wrist. When she tried to attack him with her other hand, he did the same. Cocking his head back, Naruto smashed his skull into Tsume's face, breaking the cartilage in her face before letting her go. Interlocking his hands together, he delivered an upward hammer-blow which knocked her into the air, before slamming her back to the ground with a downward hammer blow. Tsume felt his foot in her back. Then she felt the two punches mid-torso, which was followed by the elbow into her shoulder, which broke her collarbone.

Kakashi heard the scream from the Inuzuka Matriarch and rushed to her last location. There, he found her, whimpering, holding her shoulder with her remaining hand, blood flowing freely from her nose. She would be of no use now.

By that time, the steam had cleared. Kakashi was alone. Tsume and Kiba were both down. All that remained was him and Naruto.

Naruto faced down his former sensei. All the memories of him favoring Sasuke over him came flooding back in an instant. The Wave Mission, in which he and the banshee were ordered to practice tree-climbing and chakra control while he trained his 'Precious Uchiha.' The Chuunin Exams, in which he had told Naruto that he was training Sasuke and not him. And that day when he was banished for simply doing his job, and Kakashi was one of many who had condemned him. So what Sasuke had been returned battered and bruised? The life of a ninja was full of risks. Kakashi didn't blink when he noticed the Chidori wound in his shoulder.

'Can't use the Sharingan,' Kakashi thought, hoping that his only memento of Obito was not damaged. 'Kiba and Tsume are down. I'm gonna have to use the Chidori when I get the chance.'

That was all Kakashi could think before Naruto was upon him. The ANBU Captain could do nothing but block as his (unknown to him) former enraged student unleashed nearly three years of pent-up frustration and anger upon him. Kakashi coughed up blood as he felt several of his ribs break from the onslaught. The Man in Black was unwavering in his assault upon him. Even more worse, whenever Kakashi tried to counterattack, it was as if the Man in Black was reading his every move, his counter-strikes were indeed brutal.

In desperation, Kakashi performed a substitution, appearing behind Naruto while he had punched out a log that took Kakashi's place.

"CHIDORI!"

Naruto wasn't going to fall for that again. "Imperial Style: Flash Step," he whispered.

Naruto had derived the Flash Step from the Hirashin. He already can move just as fast as Lee without the weights, but using chakra to boost his agility, he found he could move fast to the point that he would leave an afterimage without the signature yellow flash.

Something that Kakashi had found out the hard way, as he realized way too late that Naruto was behind him.

With a yell, Naruto nailed Kakashi with his final attack.

**BOOT.**

"GYAAAA!"

Naruto's revised version of the Thousand Years of Pain had met its mark, and sent Kakashi flying. The Jounin landed hard on his right side when he was sent crashing through a tree, the impact breaking his right arm and leg. Kakashi whimpered as he tried to get to his feet, but to no avail. Finally, Kakashi lost consciousness. Naruto took a moment to get himself under control. Looking around, he saw that all three Konoha jounin were out cold, but alive. When Yahiko and the rest of the Elite Guards had showed up after blowing past the ANBU, they found Naruto crouched over Kakashi. The reason being, Naruto remembered Kakashi having one of his father's Hirashin kunai in his possession. Said kunai was now in Naruto's hand, having pilfered it from Kakashi's effects.

"You of all people don't deserve this," Naruto said as he pocketed the kunai. "You, Kakashi Hatake abandoned me in favor of the Uchiha. I am not the scum you once proclaimed me to be. You are."

"Boss! Are you all right?" Yahiko asked.

Naruto nodded. "I'll live. Let me grab my things. It seems that Hot Water Country is not worthy of having a Pekara branch here. It's time for us to leave."

Once Naruto had gotten his belongings, he performed the Demons' Gate Jutsu. By the time the second squad of ANBU had arrived, all they found were two dogs in a net, and three broken Konoha Jounin.

Konoha Hospital - Konohagakure, two days later...

While taking their daughter for a routine checkup, Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi decided to check in on Tsume Inuzuka.

The Inuzuka Matriarch was in her son's room. Tsume's arm was in a sling, her collarbone reset, as was her nose, as the bandage over that was any proof. Kiba was out cold. His jaw having to be rewired, his nose also reset. Akamaru and Kuromaru, who were on the ground resting, raised their heads, but calmed down once they saw that it was the Sarutobi clan head and his wife.

Asuma knew the Inuzuka clan head for many years, as did Kurenai, since they both were on the same team together back when they were younger, and despite everything, they remained friends. When Kiba had told Tsume that Kurenai was his jounin instructor, she approved of the decision.

"So how is he?" Kurenai asked of her former pupil while Asuma petted both Kuromaru and Akamaru.

"Not as better off as me," Tsume replied, subdued, gesturing to her sling. "The Godaime had to rewire his mouth shut. Looks like we'll both be out of action for the next couple of months in order to heal."

"So what happened?"

"We received word from the new damiyou in Hot Water Country," Tsume began. "Said that the Man in Black was in the area, heading for Yugakure. Kiba, Kakashi and I were close by. We waited for a backup of ANBU to show up before we gave chase. The man's bodyguards intercepted us, and the ANBU held them, allowing us to continue on. We found in Yugakure...and this is the result."

Asuma winced. "Ouch. Looks like you three pissed our friend off."

Tsume chuckled bitterly. "You should see Hatake. He had the worst of it. Twelve broken ribs and both his right arm and leg broken. But that's not the worst of it. From what the Godaime has told me, not only will he be out of action for close to six months, but he won't be able to sit right for the next couple of weeks."

"Just what did he do to him?" Kurenai asked.

"Remember that joke jutsu that Kakashi likes to do?"

Asuma knew what Tsume was talking about. "The Thousand Years of Pain. What about it?"

"Looks like our friend did it to Kakashi, and he didn't use his fingers. He used his boot instead."

Asuma winced. "Ouch. Really hate to be him. Talk about the final indignity."

* * *

><p>[Journal of the Emperor, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze]<p>

_**Entry: 15**_

_**I was visiting the Imperial Consulate in Mist when at Yahiko's suggestion, I decided to check out the ruins of my mother's home village. I was surprised that the Whirlpool Ruins were located in the far end of Wave Country.**_

_**Wave Country was at least a few hours' travel by boat from here, and it has been a while since I've visited the old drunk and his family. And Yahiko did have an interesting point. I was always intrigued about the Whirpool Village from what he told me, so I decided to head for Wave once my business with Mist was completed. Who knows, I may find some of my mon's jutsu there.**_

_**Whirlpool was known for its seal masters. Mom was part of the ruling class which ran both the village and the island, while Yahiko's family was the military arm of the village, kinda like the Uchiha's military police before Itachi went nuts. It was because of their mastery over seals that Iwa had declared war and razed the town to the ground. Another reason to hate Iwa.**_

_**Arriving in Wave, I saw that the people have prospered since Gato was killed. Venturing into the town, I stopped when I saw a most welcoming sight.**_

_**Ichiraku's Ramen. Here in Wave! They had upgraded from a ramen stand to a small restaurant! Now it's Ichiraku's Ramen, Bar and Grill!**_

_**Say what you want about me, I still love ramen. So before heading over to Tazuma's home, I dropped by. Sure enough, working the kitchen, were Teuchi and Ayame. I may hate Konoha, but these two were one of the very few that did not see me as the fox reborn. For that, I will always be eternally grateful to them. They told me how they refused to see me as the fox, and that Haruno's mother organized a boycott of their business. In retaliation, they simply closed down and moved to Wave, where they called themselves Ichiraku's Ramen, Bar and Grill.**_

_**Ayame also told me some bad news. Iruka was dead. Tsunade had said that it was a suicide, that he felt an enormous amount of guilt for supporting the villagers in my banishment. The Uchiha had found the body.**_

_**As I stayed overnight at the Inn of the Waves, I broke down and cried. I cried for Iruka. Even though he sided with the civilians, he did not deserve his fate.**_

_**The following morning, after breakfast, I spoke with Tazuma and the Council of Wave. After an hour of chatting and setting up a trade alliance (thus establishing the Wave Branch of the Pekara Merchant House), it was off to Whirlpool, but not before leaving a clone in the town under a henge to make sure nothing funny happens while I was away. We arrived in the Whirlpool Ruins mid-afternoon. Afterwards, we began to search the ruins of anything useful, jutsu, relics, anything. Following Yahiko's directions, I came across the estate of my mother. It was still fairly intact. There, I found the mother lode. Mostly wind jutsu, including a very interesting item: a scroll detailing how to make chakra wind blades, designed in similar fasion to the Rasenshuriken. Oh, this could be quite useful.**_

_**Yahiko found some water jutsu and a couple of swords inside his ancestral home. I've seen him fight with the sword, and he is very impressive. So all in all, this little expedition turned out to be a success.**_

_**Then, I felt the clone disperse and I gained its knowledge. Konoha Ninja were closing in, and fast, consisting of Maito Gai, that psycho instructor from the Chuunin Exams, Anko Mitarashi, and Hiashi Hyuuga.**_

_**I warned the others that we will soon have company, and told Yahiko and Konan not to kill them. "Zero body count, maximum ego damage." Yahiko could get into that, as did Konan. So with the others properly warned, we continued our search into the ruins. We didn't have to wait long for the Konoha ninja to arrive. They surrounded us. Anko was busy giving Takuma the once-over. I think she likes him or something.**_

_**Hiashi must have heard me and the others talking while we searched the village. He respected the fact that I had noble blood, given my relationship to the former ruling family of Whirlpool, but I wonder how he would take it if I told him that my mother was Kushinna Uzumaki, wife to Minato Namikaze?**_

_**Then Hiashi made a big mistake. When Anko questioned him as to why Hinata was not here, he said that the reason why she was not here was that she was weak, a stain on the family name. Once Hannabi made Chuunin, he would arrange a marriage to Hinata to be married off to some nobleman so that the clan could gain more influence and power.**_

_**I think that's what pretty much set me off, since I punched Hiashi, initating the battle.**_

_**While the Elite Guards fought the ANBU, I summoned two clones while having the Fox Eye active. The two clones turned into virtual doppelgangers of Anko and Gai and attacked, while I dealt with the arrogant Hyuuga clan head.**_

_**Hiashi was harder than Neji, so I knew that I was going to be in for one rough night. But I had the advantage of knowing how the Jyuuken style works...as well as intimate knowledge of how the chakra circulation system works. So I countered Hiashi's attacks and struck him in his tenketsu points. Then I just beat the holy hell out of him for insulting Hinata.**_

_**The clone that was fighting Anko was almost out of chakra, so I had to make this quick. Hiashi was alreay defeated, on his knees, looking defiant, but after insulting Hinata, I had to get some payback. You would think he learned after seeing the end result of Neji insulting her back during the Chuunin Exams.**_

_**"The flaw of your own power is arrogance," I said. Then I punched his forehead four times. When he will come to, he will have the word JERK punched into his forehead.**_

_**With Hiashi out of the way, I turned my attention to Anko, who had finally succeeded in detroying the clone. She didn't see me coming. One punch to the head followed by me closing off her tenketsu points and she was down for the count. Takuma was holding his own against Maito Gai, until I told him to stand down and leave the older man to me. Takuma did a good job of delaying the boisterous jounin, but he was mine. I haven't forgotten him and Asuma booting me out of town, and I wanted to show him what I can do.**_

_**Ironically, he met the same fate as did his pupil: the Shadow Dancer.**_

_**So let's see...I fought the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, then Konoha sent out the original Ino-Shika-Cho trio, the one-eyed warhawk and twenty of his ROOT, Team Gai, Hatake and the Inuzuka, and now, the crazy snake jounin, Gai and the pompous Hyuuga clan head.**_

_**All had failed.**_

* * *

><p>Konohagakure no Sato, several days later...<p>

Tsunade's voice rang throughout the village. "YOU DID WHAT?"

Asana Haruno sniffed as she ignored the furious looks of the shinobi side of the council, while the civilians looked smug. "We voted to reactivate Sasuke Uchiha as an active ninja. As of this moment, his house arrest as been lifted."

Tsunade was furious. "I did not agree to this! Only I can lift his punishment!"

"If it's any consolation, most of the Shinobi half voted against it," Asana replied, "but the votebreaker came from Lord Hyuuga himself. Whether you like it or not, Sasuke Uchiha is now an active ninja of Konoha once again."

Tsunade growled. "Fine. Just to make sure he does not run off to Orochimaru, I will add a stipulation to this decision. I will assign Captain Hatake and Captain Mitarashi to his detail. If the Uchiha attempts to run to Orochimaru...if he even farts in Oto's general direction...he will be immediately executed."

"You can't do that!" Asana shouted.

"I just did," Tsunade replied, radiating killer intent over the council. "It's high time that you civilians remember who is running the show. This is a shinobi village, and no civilians should have no say in shinobi matters. This has gone on long enough."

"You seem to forget yourself, Senju," Asana replied with a smirk. "We can just as easily remove you from office. We have the wealthy and the men of quality in our ranks."

"And I have an army of pissed-off, underpaid shinobi," Tsunade countered, slowly rising from her seat, glaring daggers at the arrogant Haruno, her voice rising in anger. "An army of pissed-off, underpaid shinobi who blame you and the civilian council for the mess that we are currently in. An army of pissed-off, underpaid and potentially munitious shinobi that at my command, will roast and eat your 'men of quality' in the ashes of the town square! I will say this only once. Cross me again, and the Uchiha Massacare will look like a village dance compared to what I will do. Furthermore, the civilian council and Hiashi Hyuuga are immediately suspended for the rest of the month without pay. Get the hell out of my sight!"

It was true. Ever since the Fire Damiyou had halved the finaicial aid following their attempt to make Jiraiya a missing ninja, the civilian clans have been living high off the hog while the ninja were resentful of the docked pay brought on by the civilian council's stupidity. Even Danzou, who orchestrated Naruto's banishment, was furious over the council's arrogance. The village teetered on the edge of civil war, all thanks to the civilian council. A civil war that the shinobi force can win hands down. And if the Fire Lord decided to get involved, he would easily side with the Shinobi. So peace, as shaky as it was, managed to continue inside the Leaf.

On the shinobi side of the council, the shinobi watched on with shocked looks as Asana, Hiashi, and the civilians hurried out of the chambers. Even Koharu and Honmura were shocked to see this side of Tsunade. Despite having taken part in Naruto's banishment, they were on the side of the shinobi council this time around, and thankful that they voted against reinstating Saskue.

"You were right, Shikaku," Chouza said. "Women can be scary."

"Given the choice of dealing with Tsunade or my wife and Tsume, I'll go with the latter," the lazy Nara said. "Very troublesome."

* * *

><p>[From the journal of Naruto Uzuamki Namikaze]<p>

**_Entry: 16_**

**_The six months are over. Right now, I'm in Suna, having been personally invited by Gaara for the duration of the Chuunin Exams. The Elite Guards are staying at the Imperial Consulate, while I am at the Kazekage Tower. The Chuunin Exams in Suna were done in the same fashion as they were done back in Konoha. Only this time, instead of the Forest of Death, Gaara had used a deserted part of Suna for the scroll retrival assignment._**

**_I had faith in Team Misfits. Although I really can't call them that anymore. But Maru, Moegi and Udon kept the nickname as a badge of honor. Sonshi, Okajima, Yamada and Chiba had trained them well. I had heard that they also breezed through the written exam in record time. But I knew that another confrontation with the Konoha ninja would soon be inevitable._**

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_After witnessing the confrontation between Hinata and the Konoha ninja, Naruto departed for the Imperial Consulate. While walking through a side street, he met up with Yahiko and Konan. After explaining his intentions regarding Hinata, he asked Konan to tail Hinata for the next two days in order to get her schedule down. Once that was done, he would use one of the Imperial Courier Ninjas to summon Hinata to the Imperial Consulate._

_With the prescence of the Konoha ninja (as well as that of the Iwa ninja), Naruto had to once again go incognito as he was clad in his longcoat, vest and boots, his Kage-style hat and face mask. Walking down a side street, Naruto, Konan and Yahiko headed in the direction of the Kazekage Tower to meet with Gaara. The ruler of Suna was very interested in meeting with the former Akatsuki founder and his lover, and Naruto was taking the both of them to him for a quick sit-down. So far, with the exception of Gaara himself, Fu and Yagura, the remaining Jinchuuriki were safe in his Empire, and the Akatsuki were none the wiser._

_Naruto stopped in mid-step. Yahiko and Konan also stopped. "What is it?" Yahiko asked._

_"We're not alone," Naruto calmly replied as he turned around, as did his two bodyguards._

_Almost immediately, Yahiko drew out his swords, while Konan had her paper shurikens in between her fingers. Behind him were Kurenai Yuuhi, Sakura Haruno, Kiba Inuzuka, Kakashi Hatake. Anko Mitarashi, and Tenten._

_Kiba had not forgotten the crushing defeat that he had given him, and was ready to attack. However, as Naruto calmly used a scroll to summon his sword, he relented._

_"Kiba. You can't fight him here."_

_Stepping in between the Inuzuka and his giant dog, was the one person that Naruto wasn't expecting to see. Clad in the standard Jounin uniform with the Uchiha crest on the sleeves, hiltless katana over one shoulder, and Konoha hitai-ate on his head, was Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto felt his emotions rising, but immediately suppressed them._

_If Sasuke was here, then that means Konoha was getting incredibly desperate in trying to bring him in._

_Naruto chuckled inwardly. Unknown to his former teammates and sensei, Cell Seven was back again. Only this time, they were on opposing sides. "I already met Itachi...you must be Sasuke Uchiha," Naruto remarked dryly. "What do you want with me?"_

_"You fought against the Konoha Elite," Saskue replied calmly. "You even killed two S-class criminals and held your own against my brother. I want you to fight me."_

_Naruto considered this very carefully. This could earn him the closure he needed, to close the book on Konoha once and for all. Oh, if he could only be there when Saskue tells them that the man that they were chasing is the Emperor of the West. But Naruto wondered how Konoha would take it if they found out that the Emperor was the former container to the Nine-Tails._

_"I accept your challenge, Uchiha," Naruto replied. "But not here. Once the Chuunin Tournament is completed, we will fight in the Suna Arena."_

_Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Will Gaara allow it?"_

_Naruto smiled meanly. "Once I speak to him, he will. I hope you can give me a better challenge than your brother."_

_"Then you are a coward," Sakura sneered. "If you were a real man, then you would fight Sasuke now!"_

_"When I want your opinion, you pink-haired freak, I will ask for it," Naruto replied. "Until then, you can reattach your lips to the Uchiha's ass, fangirl."_

_Something inside Sakura snapped. With a yell, she charged, fist cocked back, ready to fly._

_"Sakura! Stop!" the three senior Jounin shouted, but to no avail._

_Naruto simply stood his ground as Sakura threw her punch. 'Predictable as always, Haruno,' he thought as he stopped her punch with one finger. Then he used a palm strike to the torso to knock Sakura back to Kakashi._

_With Sakura dealt with, Naruto turned to Sasuke. "You have three days to prepare, Uchiha," as he turned on his heel and walked off, Konan and Yahiko trailing behind._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>After that confrontation, I made my way to the Kazekage Tower and after Gaara had talked with Konan and Yahiko, told him of the challenge the Uchiha has thrown to me, and that I wished to fight him inside the Suna Arena once the Chuunin exams are over. Gaara didn't have no love for Sasuke, and agreed to my offer.<strong>_

_**I retreated to the Imperial Consulate to not only prepare for the match, but to also make plans in contacting Hinata.**_

_**Entry 18:**_

_**Took me two days, but I contacted Hinata. Right now, she is asleep, safe inside the Imperial Consulate. Her father had placed that damned seal on her - the same one that Neji had - and shoved her inside the branch family when she lost to Hannabi. I cemented Hinata's loyalty when I not only removed it, but also told her that I was the Emperor of the West.**_

_**Right now, Maru is the last member of Team Misfit to make it to the finals. Moegi and Udon ended up fighting one another. That match ended in a double knockout. Despite that, those three had made me proud. Gaara has taken me to the side and told me that he was very impressed with the results of their training, and despite how things may end, he will promote them to Chuunin.**_

_**I also received another shock. The last of the Jinchuuriki was waiting for me inside the Imperial Consulate, wishing for an audience with me. I remembered her from my days as a Konoha genin. Fu, the jinchuuriki of the Nanabi. She had heard about me retrieving the other containers and granting them asylum from the Akatsuki. Fearing the organization of S-class criminals, her village had chosen to exile her. When he found out that I was in Suna, she sought me out.**_

_**That was a first. But it did save me the trouble of tracking her down. We talked inside the Imperial Consulate. When I revealed my true identity to her, Fu was very surprised to see me again. I welcomed Fu into the ranks of the Empire, promsing to take her with me once the Chuunin Exams are completed.**_

_**Entry 19:**_

_**Maru faced off against Hannabi Hyuuga in the final match the following day. Hiashi was in the audience. Gaara told me that my little stunt with Hinata has left him pissed off, as he had the main branch ninja comb Suna looking for Hinata. But she was safely tucked away inside the Imperial Consulate. Several of them had picked a fight with the consulate's guards when they tried to enter the consulate, and were soundly trounced. When Gaara threatned to place the Hyuugas into his Sand Coffins, they finally backed off.**_

_**As for the final match, it kinda mirrored my match with Neji back in Konoha. Only difference was that Hannabi wasn't sprouting that fate bullshit, but she was acting like her shit didn't stink. Typical Hyuuga Superiority Complex. But what she didn't know was that I taught Maru how to counter the Jyuuken style when it became clear to me that he was going to fight her. Or the fact that Maru had signed his grandfather's summoning scroll and summoned the Monkey King, and used its staff form to soundly trounce her. Hannabi never stood a chance.**_

_**Hannabi was knocked out cold. When I appeared on the stadium grounds, applauding Maru and congratulating him on his victory, I think Hiashi found out that I was one of his trainers. He had came to Suna to see his heiress clean house, and as Hinata had told me, to show her just how worthless she was when Hannabi had won. I think Hiashi was furious to the point that Old Man Sarutobi's grandson had trounced his precious heiress. He got a boot to the head for his troubles when he tried to attack me once again.**_

_**Good thing I was dressed for battle, since Sasuke appeared. I ushered Maru out of the way as I faced down my former teammate. If I was angry when I fought Hatake, I was absolutely furious with the teme. Hinata had filled me in, that he was pardoned by the civilian council, placing the blame on both me and that hickey Orochimaru gave him, but Tsunade had him placed under house arrest, which was later lifted by the civilian council in order for him to come and face me in Suna. The shinobi council and the majority of the shinobi don't trust him ever since his attempted defection, whereas Sakura still worships the ground he walks on.**_

_**Gaara himself gave the order to begin.**_

_**Sasuke has improved during my absence, but I had fought and trained long and hard over the years. That title of Emperor wasn't just for show. But honestly, out of all of the Konoha ninja I had fought, Sasuke was the toughest. We fought for at least thirty minutes, until I finally gained the upper hand. Before I knocked him out, I told Sasuke that I was the Emperor of the West.**_

_**Maybe now that would get Konoha off my back. After the match, I returned to the Imperial Consulate, and waited for the town to clear of the visiting ninja. Once they were gone, I said my goodbyes to Gaara and used the Demons' Gate Jutsu to return to Kimon City...with Hinata, and the last of the Jinchuuriki.**_

_**Sonshi was right. I had to face my demons and to free myself of my past. Beating down the Konoha Elite pretty much did it for me.**_

_**Now, I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I can finally focus on the future of my Empire. I can focus on Hinata.**_

* * *

><p>Konohagakure no Sato, following the conclusion of the Chuunin Exams.<p>

The civilian council had placed all their hopes on Sasuke, hoping that the Uchiha Elite could defeat the Man in Black and bring him to Konoha, after the mystery man had given the Leaf black eye after black eye after black eye.

Their hopes were dashed when they saw the ninja that were sent to Suna return...

...without the Man in Black.

Despite his injuries, Saskue had a report to make. Ignoring the guards at the gate, Sasuke and Kakashi headed for the Hokage Tower.

* * *

><p>Inside the council chambers...<p>

"WHAT?"

This time, the outburst didn't come from Tsunade. It came from Asana Haruno. Even the shinobi side of the council was very concerned at the change in events. Sasuke had just told them the identity of the mystery man. Several high-ranking Jounin also sat in on this meeting, as they were curious as to who the mystery man was.

"I said he is the Emperor of the Western Empire," the Uchiha confirmed. "He told me before knocking me out. The Kazekage had all but confirmed it."

On the shinobi side, shock was the evident reaction, while disbelief reigned on the Shinobi side. Even the normally arrogant Danzou was shocked. The mystery man was the infamous Emperor that has been making waves back in the West!

"This definitely complicates things," Asuma said.

"This one agrees," Tsume seconded. "At least I feel a whole lot better about losing."

"Troublesome," Shikaku muttered. "Very troublesome. We almost pissed off the Western Empire by attempting to kidnap their ruler."

Inochi and Chouza who were seated next to their teammate, also agreed. Danzou was thinking along the same lines.

"From what I managed to get out of Gaara," Sasuke continued, "he is accompanied by his Elite Guard, eight chosen warriors whose main objective is to protect the Emperor from any and all threats."

"So what was the Emperor doing in Suna, of all places?" Asana demanded.

"He seems to be pretty chummy with the Godaime Kazekage," Kakashi said. "We noticed an Imperial Consulate in the city. Gaara's also mentioned that he had sent Sarutobi and his team to personally train under the Emperor himself. Given their performance in the Chuunin Exams, The Emperor has succeeded. I have to admit that those three  
>cleaned house."<p>

Asuma smiled at that. Had Maru stayed in Konoha, he would have made a fine Chuunin.

"It could be a trick," Asana shot out. "As much as I would like to believe Captain Hatake and Jounin Uchiha, we need more proof. Those merchant houses that has surfaced, the Pekara Merchant House...they came from the West."

Tsunade knew what Asana's intentions were. "There's a travelling merchant from the Pekara House in the market. I will summon her to appear before the council."

* * *

><p>The merchant in question was a former Special Jounin-level kunoichi named Makie Asahina. Following the Unification War, she had left her unit at the age of twenty-seven and had signed on to the Western Empire's Intelligence Division, which ultimately led her to the East, her assignment being Fire County. Her cover was that of a kunoichi-turned-travelling merchant working for the Pekara Merchant House's Fire Country Branch, located within the Imperial Consulate inside the Fire Capital (Tsunade found it strange that the Emperor had refused to allow a Fire Consulate inside his Empire).<p>

She also had a paltry bounty of 25 million ryo placed on her head, given her role in killing a group of bandits who had tried to raid the Pekara Merchant caravan while on the road to the Fire Capital. Twice a week, she and her entourage of Pekara Merchants would travel to Konoha. She was also loyal to her Emperor to the point that she nearly blew her cover when she ended up arriving on the anniversary of Naruto's banishment. Fortunately, her co-workers had managed to calm her down.

So imagine her surprise while packing up the stand and preparing for the trip back to the Fire Capital she was summoned to the Hokage Tower by three members of the ANBU to face the Konoha Council.

Tsunade looked at the former kunoichi, easily identified by her crimson flak vest and her ninjato, which was strapped to her back. Makie looked back at her with a bored, yet curious expression. The Slug Sage cleared her throat. "First off, thank you for coming to this meeting. You are not in trouble of any kind. We just have some questions we would like to ask of you."

Makie shrugged her shoulders. "Shoot."

"First off, what't your name?" Tsunade asked.

"Makie Asahina. Former Captain of the Imperial Defence Forces, Third Batallion, Seventh Division, First Squad. Now, I'm a merchant with the Pekara Merchant House," Makie replied.

"A merchant, yet you are armed and wear the flak vest of a ninja," Koharu pointed out.

"I wear this as a badge of honor. To remind myself that eventhough I am a merchant, I will always be a ninja," Makie replied. "The katana is for merely self-defense."

The shinobi could respect that, Danzou included.

An ANBU handed her the picture of the disguised Naruto. "Can you identify this man?" Tsunade asked.

"Of course," Makie replied. "That's His Imperial Majesty, the Crimson Fury of the Empire. In other words, he is the Emperor of the West."

Whispers and mumurs were heard throughout the council chambers.

"Does he have a name?" Danzou asked.

"He does, but I am under orders not to say it. The Emperor has many enemies, and there are those in the East who wish to make a name for themselves by eliminating His Imperial Majesty and take his throne. His clan is virtually the richest out of all of the clans in the West."

That was understandable to the gathered Shinobi.

"That's not good enough," Asana Haruno snapped. "Tell us his name."

Makie turned to the civilian council member. "You don't like that? Tough shit. I answer to the Emperor, not you."

"How dare you!" Asana shouted, rising to her feet. "You will tell us the name of the Emperor, or else you will pay a visit to Ibiki!"

"Haruno...sit down," Tsunade ordered. Leave it to the hotheaded Haruno to antagonize their guest.

"But..." Asana sputtered.

"Shut up and sit down!" the Godaime bellowed, the sheer will alone made Asana collapse into her seat. Once Asana was properly humbled, Tsunade turned back to Makie. "I  
>apologize for Representative Haruno's behavior."<p>

"Apology accepted, Lady Hokage," Makie replied. "I take it you want to know more about The Boss?"

"The Boss?" Tsunade repeated.

"It's a nickname we have for The Emperor," Makie explained. "It goes back during the days of the Unification War."

"To answer your question, yes," Tsunade replied. "We would like to know more."

"He's tall. Six feet even, reddish-blond hair, blue eyes. But when he uses his bloodline, they turn to gold. Likes to wear black, which earned him the nickname 'The Man in Black.' I fought alongside him in the Unification War, back when he was a teenager."

"You mean..." Shikaku began.

Makie nodded. "He unified the lands and became Emperor when he was fifteen years old. That was three years ago. Quite an amazing feat for a kid."

Asana snorted at that, but kept silent. Danzou, on the other hand, was pretty impressed.

"YOSH! The Emperor is truly a youthful opponent!" Rock Lee shouted. "To have unified the West in such a short time!"

"Indeed, my most youthful student!" Gai said.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

**BONK. BONK.**

Tenten brought the dreaded jutsu to a halt by knocking both men out. The shinobi side breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Tenten," Tsunade said, thus sparing the council the dreaded 'Flames of Youth' jutsu. "Continue, Captain Asahina."

"He has that charisma, that strength. He can make you believe in him," Makie continued. "He fights alongside his soldiers. Even when we were on campaign, he would do his share of the work around the camp, and still have time to conduct a war. He was trained in both the shinobi arts and the way of the samurai. I would die in a second for him. We all would."

"Loyalty," Inochi Yamanaka said. "A powerful weapon for any leader to have."

Makie nodded. "Yes. He is loyal to his soldiers and to the people, and vice versa."

"What can you tell us about his armed forces?" Danzou asked, getting a nasty glare from Tsunade.

"Sorry. I can't divulge that information. Will that be all, Lady Hokage?"

Tsunade nodded. "Yes. You may go."

Makie bowed and departed from the chambers. Once she was gone, another round of talks began.

"I say she is lying," Asana said. "We should take her to Ibiki and see if he can loosen that tongue of hers!"

Danzou was thinking along the same lines. Only difference was that he was considering kidnapping Makie and converting her to his ROOT. But he quickly dismissed that idea. If she was tough enough to have a bounty on her head, then sending ROOT ANBU after her would be a bad idea.

"She was not lying," Inochi rebuked. "I checked her mental patterns while we talked. She was very truthful and open. And from the look of things, she can still fight, eventhough she is no longer a ninja. We don't know what the ninja from the Western Empire are capable of. If the Emperor himself is a skilled fighter, what does that say about his forces?"

Tsunade sighed. Inochi did have a point. "As of this moment...The Emperor is to be left alone. I will not have Konoha wiped out over a misunderstanding."

The council nodded.

The Godaime turned to the injured Uchiha. "Uchiha, get your injuries taken care of. This meeting is adjourned."

* * *

><p>Hyuuga Compound, the following day.<p>

Hiashi and Hannabi Hyuuga faced the council of elders. Hannabi was still bruised from her match with Maru Sarutobi, while Hiashi sported a fresh bruise from trying to attack the Emperor while in Suna, as well as an angry red handprint from where Kurenai had slapped him. Both the clan head and his designated heir did not look very happy. The reason being was not that Hannabi had made the grade to Chuunin, as she was defeated by Maru Sarutobi. The reason was that earlier that day, a courier ninja had dropped off Hinata's hitai-ate and a scroll addressed to Hiashi and Hannabi.

The scroll had all but verified it. Hinata had defected from the clan, and the village.

Hinata had disappeared the night before the Emperor had fought Sasuke Uchiha in the finals. Hiashi had the main and branch clan members comb Suna looking for her, but to no avail.

Until that morning, when he received Hinata's hitai-ate and the scroll. The scroll was simple and to the point, and it was from the Emperor of the West.

_**To Lord Hiashi Hyuuga and Hannabi Hyuuga, heir apparent of the Hyuuga Clan:**_

_**As of this moment, Hinata Hyuuga has been granted political asylum. She is no longer a chuunin in the Konohagakure Shinobi Forces, nor is she no longer a citizen of Konohagakure no Sato, as she is under my protection. I have personally removed the Caged Bird Seal from her, thus freeing her from any and all obligations owed to the Hyuuga Clan. **_

_**Sincerely, the Emperor of the Unified West**_

It was after he had received the letter that he tracked down Kurenai Sarutobi. She was out with her husband and their daughter, as well as with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Earlier that day..._

_Hiashi, along with Hannabi found Kurenai Sarutobi in the middle of lunch. Said ninja was with her husband and daughter inside a restaurant. Also tagging along was Asuma's former students, Shikamaru Nara, Chouji Akamichi and Ino Yamanaka._

_"Do you know where my daughter is, Sarutobi?" Hiashi demanded, his voice laced with anger._

_The patrons in the meantime, had decided to clear out of the restaurant from the impending explosion that was soon to follow. Asuma had handed Hitomi to both Ino and Chouji, and sent her outside as well._

_Kurenai looked back at the arrogant clan head with no fear. "Which daughter? The one you pushed aside and branded? Or your precious little heir?"_

_Hiashi's response to that was to slam down the scroll on the table. "You know damn well which one I am talking about! Hinata was your responsibility during the Chuunin Exams! And you let her escape!"_

_Now Kurenai was getting angry. "Don't you blame this on me, Hyuuga," the red-eyed genjutsu mistress shot back. "Whose idea was it to send her to Suna so she could witness Hannabi's triumph? That was your idea, not mine. By the way...how did Hannabi do in the exams? I see that she is not wearing a Chuunin vest."_

_Asuma, in the meantime, was reading the scroll, with Shikamaru looking over his shoulder. "Is this for real?" the chain-smoking clan head asked._

_"Very," Hannabi replied. "Just so you know, we are going to hold your wife responsible for this, Captain Sarutobi."_

_"My wife is not to blame," Asuma replied flatly. "Your father was the ones who placed Hinata under virtual house arrest after branding her with that damned seal. And I have to agree with my wife. You sent her to Suna, and you underestimated her."_

_"Hinata is gone, and I hold you responsible," Hiashi sneered. "I hope you're happy, Kurenai Sarutobi. She is gone, to be a whore to that upstart of an Emperor."_

**_SLAP._**

_In a flash, Kurenai was standing in front of the Hyuuga clan leader. Said leader now had a red handprint on his face, the end result of Kurenai slapping him in full view of his daughter, Asuma and Shikamaru. Hannabi rushed in to intervene, but was stopped in her tracks by Shikamaru's Kagemane._

_"You are a damn fool, Hyuuga," Kurenai spat out. "You placed that damned seal on her when she wasn't the perfect little heiress you wanted. Both the main and cadet branch treated her like garbage because of her support towards Naruto. At least with the Emperor, she can be happy for once in her life."_

_At the loss of face, both from his daughter leaving and being physically and verbally berated by the genjutsu master, Hiashi was ready to attack. However, a trench knife to the throat stayed his hand. He hadn't seen Asuma move that fast since...ever._

_"Touch my wife, Hyuuga," Asuma deadpanned, "and I'll gut you where you stand."_

_Before a brawl could ensue, a squad of ANBU Black Ops, led by Kakashi, intervened._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p>In the end, Hiashi and Hannabi were reprimanded. Kurenai was cleared of any wrongdoing, but it was a bittersweet victory. Tsunade had to follow the rules of the Konoha Charter and Hinata was placed in the Bingo Book as a A-ranked missing-ninja with orders to retrieve on sight.<p>

Now, the clan head and his heir was in a meeting with the Hyuuga Council.

"This is most disturbing news, Hiashi," one of the council members said. "Not only did Hinata had defected from the clan and from Konoha, but the Emperor was able to remove the Caged Bird Seal."

"Impossible!" a female Hyuuga main branch member said. "That seal was designed to be permanent! How can the Emperor remove it?"

"Either way, no one from the branch clan must not know about this," the first member said. "If they find out that the Caged Bird Seal can be removed, then we are looking at a civil war!"

"I agree," Hannabi said. "Hinata is gone, and the Bykaugan is in the hands of the Empire. That is unfortunate. But the Emperor cannot protect Hinata all the time. She is as my father has told me and it has already been proven, weak. All we have to do is bide our time. Hinata will return to the East. And when she does, we will strike. Furthermore, if it pleases my father and the honorable Hyuuga Council, I propose an...incentive to get Hinata back."

"Such as?" a third council member asked.

"A bounty contract on Hinata," Hannabi replied. "Twenty million ryo to anyone who brings Hinata back alive to face justice."

"A reasonable incentive," Hiashi said.

After talking it over, the three council members turned to Hiashi and Hannabi. "Your proposal is acceptable. Make it so."

* * *

><p>Several hours later...<p>

Shikamaru Nara was currently enjoying his favorite pastime: cloud watching. Or at least he was when the form of Sasuke Uchiha blocked out the clouds and the sun.

"So is it true then?" Shikamaru asked, not moving from his perch. "The Man in Black is the Emperor?"

"It is," the Uchiha replied.

"This complicates things. What do you want with me?"

"A word, with you and your father," Saskue said before walking off in the direction of the Nara home.

The lazy Chuunin groaned. "Damn. This is very troublesome."

* * *

><p>Nara Ranch, later on...<p>

Shikaku Nara played host to Sasuke Uchiha. The clan head/deer herder and his heir sat at a table with the Uchiha. Yoshino had served the three men drinks, stopping only to give her husband and the last Uchiha a nasty look each before retreating into the kitchen. Apparently, even the hotheaded wife of Shikaku disliked playing hostess to even Sasuke Uchiha.

"To what we owe the honor of your visit, Sasuke Uchiha?" Shikaku asked as he took a sip of his tea.

"The Emperor of the West," Saskue replied. "We all fought against him. We all lost."

"You want to trade notes," Shikaku surmised. "Not much to tell about him, only that for a kid, he's pretty damn tough. I always thought that he would be older. But still, to unify the west in only two years...very impressive. Fighting-wise, we got off light. Can't say the same for Hatake, the Inuzuka and the Hyuuga. He's a hard person to analyze, his fighting style ranging from direct and brutal to smooth and fluid."

"I saw that as well," Sasuke said. "His Taijutsu and Ninjitsu are top-notch. Add the fact that his bloodline pretty much blocks the Sharingan's ability to copy jutsu, he is indeed a formidable fighter."

"Given his skills and abililties," Shikamaru began, "he could easily make SS-ranking in the Bingo Book. Danzou's taken an interest in him."

"Pretty obvious," Sasuke said. "I think he's given up on me joining his side. But you got to admit that it's strange. The Emperor knew exactly how to fight each and every one of us. He knew our strengths and our weaknesses and exploited them to his advantage. He broke your Kagemane before Ino could posess him with her mind jutsu, and repeated the feat with your father. He knew how to counter and explot the weakness of the Hyuuga's Jyuuken. Rock Lee respects him, despite losing to him, as does Gai. Tenten is pretty much obsessed with that sword of his."

"But that beatdown he gave to the Inuzuka and Captain Hatake..." Shikaku shuddered. "Very troublesome."

Sasuke nodded. "Indeed. And look what happened to Hatake. And he and his Elite Guards took apart Danzou and his ROOT, as well as two seperate squads of ANBU Black Ops.

Captain Mitarashi wants a rematch against him. There's a lot more to this guy than he appears."

"You think that, wouldn't you?" Shikaku responded.

"Hatake may have been an idiot for a sensei, but he did teach one valuable lesson. 'Look underneath the underneath,'" the Uchiha replied. "Gaara seems to know him. Why else would he attend the Suna exams?"

"You're thinking that he could be allied with Suna?" Shikamaru asked.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "Could be. I noticed an Imperial Consulate in the city. And Gaara was more than willing to allow the Emperor and myself to fight in the Suna arena once the tournament was completed. So yeah, an alliance with Suna is pretty feasible."

"Hard to believe that he unified the West while most of us made Chuunin," Shikamaru drawled. "And he survived a confrontation with Itachi and his shark-faced buddy, a feat in itself."

"And the fact that he has intercepted most of the Jinchuuriki from the Akatsuki..." Saskue trailed off. "Do you think that **he **can be among them?"

Shikaku and Shikamaru stiffened slightly. They knew that Sasuke was talking about Naruto. While the remaining members of Cell Seven were indifferent in regards to his banishment, Sasuke showed general remorse in seeing his former teammate banished. Shikamaru had even overheard him at his cousin Obito's grave one day, saying that Naruto may had been a knucklehead and a dead-last, but he was loyal and that the council should not have banished him.

But ever since Sasuke had released the details of the planned Uchiha Revolt, as well as of the circumstances of the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, he has gained even more of the shinobi population's mistrust. The civilian council continued to kiss his ass.

Sasuke downed the rest of the tea and placed the cup back on the tray. "Either way, I hope he is still alive and happy, regardless of his banishment. Thank you for your time, Lord Nara...Shikamaru. I think I can find my way out."

Once Sasuke was gone, Shikaku looked pensive for the first time in a while. "So what do you think?" he asked Shikamaru.

"Uchiha has a point," Shikamaru said. "Deception's always been part of our way of life. The Emperor is a wild card at best. A highly-skilled wild card, but a wild card nonetheless. Despite everything that has happened, he did save Asuma-sensei from Hidan."

Shikaku wasn't convinced. "What do you **really **think, son?"

Now that Saskue was gone, Shikamaru could speak freely. "That the Emperor could have spies and informants in the East. Maybe inside the Fire Capital, or even Konoha. Worse-case scenario is that the Emperor is connected to Konoha in some way, and knows how each of us fight, and counter our signature techniques. And the way he had  
>beaten down Neji and Lord Hyuuga, not to mention how he brutally beaten Captain Hatake, the Inuzuka Matriarch and Kiba...shows that those five had slighted him in some<br>way. Everyone else just got lucky. And the Emperor has been intercepting the Jinchuuriki...Sasuke did make a valid point. Uzumaki could be among them."

"You still think that he is the Nine-Tails reborn?"

Shikamaru thought about it for a moment. "When he was banished, yes. But now that I think about it...if he was the Kyuubi, then he would have long since razed this place to the ground. I think he really is the jailer. But more importantly, he will probably never forgive us for favoring Uchiha over him."

The elder Nara nodded. He then made a decision. "Shikamaru...what I am about to tell you must not be uttered outside these walls. No one, not even Asuma, or Chouji, or Ino or the Hokage herself must not know. Promise me."

Shikamaru nodded. "Is this a troublesome secret?"

"Troublesome does not even begin to describe it," Shikaku replied. "It concerns the circumstances of Uzumaki's banishment. Swear it to me, on your honor as a member of the Nara clan."

Shikamaru sighed. "I swear on the honor of the Nara clan. I will tell no one."

And Shikaku told him. Once he was finished, he stood up. "Feel free to throw up. I know I did."

Once Shikaku was out of the room, that was what Shikamaru had did. He made a beeline to the bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach. His dad was right. Troublesome did not even begin to describe what has happened to Uzumaki.

'My God...what have we done...?' was the last thought that Shikamaru had before he puked again.

Snafu's Notes: This completes Naruto's side stories. Next will chronicle Hinata's side as she trains under Kiyomi, getting closer to Naruto, and will ultimately lead to the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna.


	8. Side Story: Hinata's Ascension Pt 1

**Side Story 5: Hinata's Ascension, Part 1**

Snafu's Notes: Why did I divert from the storyline and write the series of side stories for Naruto and Hinata? Easy. I got a real bad habit of throwing in twists that no one doesn't see coming. The side stories serves as a backstory which records the years prior to the Akatsuki Invasion. It also shows the character development of Naruto and Hinata. Also, the side stories make my version of the fanfic unique. Unlike Naruto's four-part side stories, Hinata's will come to the grand total of two. After that, the main story will continue.

Also, in fox form, Kitami/Kyuubi sounds like she does in the anime, while in human form, she sounds female. I also modeled her likeness and voice after Nariko from Heavenly Sword, in case anyone is wondering.

[Hinata's Diary]

_**Entry 1:**_

_**My first day in the Western Empire. I'm still thinking that this is a dream. That I'll wake back up in Konoha, and that I still have that damned seal on my forehead. Thankfully, it's not a dream. I'm here with Naruto. I'm finally free from my family. **_

_**I heard from Temari that the Konoha ninja were looking for me at the conclusion of the Chuunin Exams back in Suna. They didn't know that I was hiding out at the Imperial Consulate. I know that this act will make me a missing ninja and will earn a place in the Bingo Book, but I really don't care. Now that I'm here with Naruto, I can do almost anything. **_

_**While hiding out at the Imperial Consulate, Naruto had introduced me to his bodyguards. The Elite Guards, as he called them. A group of ninja and samurai assigned to protect him. Two of them really stood out, as Naruto told me that they were once part of the Akatsuki: Konan and Yahiko. Naruto had rescued them from death at the hands of their former organization, and now they serve him as his guards.**_

_**Once the tournament was over, Naruto said his farewells to Gaara and returned back west. Konohamaru - no, make that Maru, Moegi and Udon followed him, Gaara having assigned them to the Suna Consulate back in the West. Naruto had their Chuunin vests with them, and would present them to the three once we returned home.**_

_**Naruto had used a special type of Jutsu to return home, called the Demon's Gate, allowing himself access to any location he has been. Only thing was that it used a lot of chakra. But it was a very effective jutsu. The first thing that Naruto did when we returned was to tell those inside the Imperial Complex that I was his honored guest. Any attempts on my life will be met with instant death.**_

_**He gave me the tour of the Imperial Complex, introducing me to several members of his staff along the way. Including the former Raikage, A. Naruto also confirmed that he rescued A and his brother from being assassinated when he was overthrown, and that A served as his chief adviser. Naruto also said that aside from Yagura and Gaara, he saved the Jinchuuriki and offered them a home. **_

_**But one encounter really stood out in my mind. That encounter was with the Nine-Tails herself.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Imperial Complex - House of Sovereigns, Council Chambers._

_Maru Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon stood before the Emperor of the West, Hinata standing beside him, looking on. Also present was Sonshi, Takuma Chiba, Hayate Okajima, Kokoro Yamada and Rena Shiratori. Temari and several high-ranking Suna jounin were also present for this ceremony._

_Naruto produced a scroll, unrolled it and activated it. Three Chuunin vests appeared before the three Suna ninja._

_"Money cannot buy the honor which you three have earned," Naruto said as Team Misfit claimed their prize. "You make us all proud."_

_The gathered audience applauded. _

_"By order of the Godaime Kazekage, you are now Chuunin of the Sand," Temari decreed. "You three are assigned to the garrison at the Suna Consulate. As your training with Emperor Namikaze was a success, Gaara will allow you to continue your training under the Emperor. If this continues, you may become Special Jounin."_

_The older people congratulated the newly-minted Chuunin. In the meantime, Naruto had exited the room, Hinata following him. He had stopped a valet and asked them to order some barbecue from the village, for the graduation party that would soon follow._

_On their way back to the Imperial Palace, they were greeted by a voluptuous redheaded woman in an elegant kimono._

_"Ah, I see you found her, kit," the woman began. _

_"That I did," Naruto replied. "She was in Suna acting as a chaperone for the Chuunin Exams."_

_The redhead turned to Hinata. "Hinata Hyuuga, of House Hyuuga. The kit has spoken highly of you. It is good to see you again."_

_Hinata was puzzled. "You know me?"_

_"In a way. I was sealed inside his gut up until he was able to reverse the seal." The woman inclined her head as she introduced herself watching with amusement as Hinata's eyes bulged out of her head as her tails emerged. "Kitami Akashiya, Chief Prime Minister of the Unified West. But I am also known as Kyuubi no Yoko."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>Naruto gave me the backstory shortly afterward, about the circumstances regarding both himself and Kitami. And I always thought that the Nine-Tails was a bloodthirsty demon. Kitami proved me wrong. She's actually pretty nice. <strong>_

_**Following the dinner celebrating the Misfits' promotion to Chuunin, Naruto and I talked for most of the night. Actually, he did most of the talking while I just listened to his tales about fighting in the Unification War. I can honestly say that I am impressed. We also talked about our relationship. I still love him, and Naruto had reciprocated those feelings back in Suna. We both agreed to let things run their course.**_

_**Entry 2:**_

_**The following morning, I woke up to an empty bed. Naruto was already awake and about. He was nice enough to leave me a clean uniform that I can wear until he can get me some more clothes. I cleaned myself up, and changed clothes. Naruto and his Elite Guards were hanging around outside the training hall with Maru, Moegi and Udon. Naruto was sparring with Maru while the others chatted and joked with each other. **_

_**I watched this scene from a distance, with a smile on my face. Naruto always had that air about him. Even back in Konoha, when he was screaming to the rooftops that he was going to be Hokage, he could make you believe in him. This wasn't the Emperor of the West I was seeing. This was just a man who cares about his people. He can laugh with them, joke with them. Just because his father was Konoha's hero and his mother was the former ruler of Whirlpool didn't mean that he could mingle with the common people.**_

_**While watching them, Kitami came to me with an offer. An offer that would change my life.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Imperial Complex, Kimon City._

_"**He never stopped thinking about you, you know.**"_

_Hinata 'eeped' at the deep voice and turned around. There, in a shaded area of the complex near the training hall, in all her nine-tailed glory, was Kitami. The Kyuubi no Kitsune was resting in the shade, chuckling inwardly at scaring the crap of her former container's chosen mate. Hinata eyed the giant fox warily. It was just as big as Akamaru, if not bigger. Even more so, the ninja and samurai that served as the ground's guards did not bat an eyelash over the presence of the Nine-Tails._

_"**I'm not going to bite you, Hinata,**" Kitami said, her voice showing amusement. "**Naruto would be very upset if I tried to eat his chosen mate.**"_

_Hinata blushed at that. Both her and Naruto had a long chat about how their relationship should go. From Kitami's perspective, Naruto choosing the former heiress as his wife was a foregone conclusion. But the next thing that Kitami had said had her curiosity piqued. _

_"**Since you are here, I have a proposal for you,**" the massive fox began. "**Konoha was known for producing the three Legendary Sages, but Whirlpool was known for its own sage: the Fox Sage. Naruto's grandmother and mother served as the first two sages. Naruto sees great potential in you, as do I. I watched your performance in the Chuunin Exams through his eyes, when you fought against your cousin. If you agree to my proposal, Hinata, you will undergo training to become the Third Fox Sage.**"_

_"Why me?" Hinata replied. "Why not Naruto?"_

_"**The Fox Sage can only be a female and a member of the Uzumaki Clan,**" Kitami replied. "**While Naruto is Uzumaki, he can't be the sage for obvious reasons.**"_

_"But I'm not of the Uzumaki clan," Hinata pointed out. _

_"**At least, not by marriage, anyway,**" Kitami replied. "**But I am willing to overlook that part. So what do you say, Hinata? Are you willing to show Naruto that you are strong? Are you willing to show your former clan that you are not worthless when the time comes to face them? Since you have defected from both Konoha and from the Hyuuga, a confrontation between them is inevitable. Naruto knows your true worth. Prove him right.**"_

_Hinata had to admit that Kitami had a point. If anything, she would have to face Hiashi, Hanabi and Neji in the future. Kitami was offering her a way to prepare herself for the upcoming storm. And a chance to prove to Naruto that she was no pushover, that she was truly worthy of his heart..._

_Hinata slowly nodded. "I...I accept your offer, Kitami."_

_The Nine-Tails smiled, showing off her rows of sharp teeth. "**Good, Hinata. The training will take at least six months. I will teach you ninjitsu and taijitsu, as well as how to heal. What is your elemental release?**"_

_"The Hyuugas are mostly attuned to water, but mine is Fire Release." Hinata sounded ashamed._

_Kitami caught on immediately. "**You have nothing to be ashamed for, Hinata. Fire is the strongest of the Elemental Releases. Naruto is a master of Wind and Fire. You have the potential to become even better than Mito and Kushinna. Oh, yes, Hinata. You will become great.**"_

_In the back of her mind, Hinata wondered just what she had gotten herself into._

[End Flashback]__

* * *

><p><em><strong>Entry 3:<strong>_

_**My training to become the third Fox Sage began the following day. The Fox Sage is three parts: part healer, part warrior and part assassin. Mito was the better assassin, while Kushinna was the better warrior. My interest was in healing, and before I left Konoha, I was studying shiatsu and herbal medicine from Tsunade, as well as getting some pointers in regards to diplomatic relations. Monday through Thursday, I have to undergo Taijutsu training. Fridays I spend time with Sonshi, who took me on as a pupil in diplomatic relations. The weekends I spend with Naruto, as he showed me around town.**_

_**Kitami also told me not to shy away from my Jyuuken style. I knew the style from front to back, since Hiashi basically drilled it into my head. But when I wasn't performing up to his standards, he abandoned me and focused on Hanabi instead. So during one of our spars, Kitami had defeated me while I used the original style. Naruto was watching the entire thing. Afterward, he pulled me to the side and gave me some advice.**_

_**"You know what's wrong with the style, Hinata. The solution is simple: remove all the flaws and weaknesses of the style. Then the Gentle Fist will be unstoppable. Think of it this way: a sculptor doesn't keep adding more clay to a statue. He instead removes the inessentials until the truth is revealed."**_

_**Come to think of it, Naruto was right. I tried to voice my opinion on the style to Hiashi, but he refused to listen. Now, I have free reign. Naruto taught me how to make a shadow clone, which helped in my sage training, as well as revamping the Jyuuken style. From what I know about the Hyuuga Clan, it was the first clan to settle in Konoha following the battle between Tsunade's grandfather and Madara Uchiha over who would be Hokage. The Jyuuken was designed to be an elite style, given our abilities to see a person's chakra system. **_

_**But I dug in a bit deeper. The original name of the style before it switched to Jyuuken was called Kin Shiki Kobujutsu. The original scrolls were either lost to history or were destroyed as the style 'evolved.' I always thought that since Naruto had beaten both Hiashi and Neji (twice), they would at least improve on the weaknesses of the style. I was wrong. **_

_**So after training with Kitami, I spent two hours a day with a shadow clone and several notebooks as I put in all of the basic, mid-level and advanced techniques of the Jyuuken. Then I stripped them all down and worked my way from the bottom, using my mistakes during the fights with Neji and Hanabi as references. Improvisation and creativity was not allowed back in Konoha, as the clan thought that it would weaken and taint the so-called 'putity' of the honorable style.**_

_**Honor. Konoha was supposed to honor the wishes of Naruto's father in regards to his son, and he was ignored. I later found out that Asana Haruno had spearheaded the whole thing. Turns out that she was madly in love with the Yellow Flash, and when Minato chose Kushinna over her, Asana was furious. So with Minato and Kushinna dead and Naruto left as an orphan, she unleashed hell on Naruto because Minato had loved Kushinna over her. Naruto told me what he thought about honor.**_

_**"Honor is nothing but bullshit. Honor was only designed by weak people to keep the strong in line. I learned that when I was banished. I never put that much stock in honor. From my experiences, those who call themselves honorable were hiding their true agenda. There is only the right action and what a good person truly desires is here (points to his head) and here (points to his heart). By what you decide and how you live, you will live a good life...or not."**_

_**Leave it to Naruto to inspire me to do what I know is right. It's one of the reasons why I love him so much.**_

* * *

><p>Imperial Palace, nighttime - three weeks after the Suna Chuunin Exams.<p>

"Ow...ow!"

"Hold still, Hinata. I'm almost done."

"OW!"

Inside the master bedroom of the Imperial Palace, Naruto was tending to Hinata's injuries. Kitami had created a wooden training dummy (similar to the wooden Wing Chun training dummy with stand) and had Hinata train on it for most of the day. The end result was skinned knuckles, several cuts and bruises, and a couple of splinters.

Naruto was busy tending to Hinata's wounded hands. A first-aid kit was on the table, and it was open. Naruto was plucking the remaining splinters out of Hinata's right hand with a pair of tweezers. Her other hand was already treated and bandaged. Fortunately, it was Friday night, meaning that the Emperor and Hinata had the weekend off.

"If it's any consolation, I had my share of injuries when I was training under Kitami as well," Naruto said. "Combined that with Sonshi, Zabuza and her, Kitami was the toughest. Between you and me, her training methods could give Gai a run for her money."

"She was that bad? Ow," Hinata winced.

"You're getting off light in becoming a sage," Naruto said as he cleaned the injuries and was currently bandaging them. "I was busy learning how to fight so I can unify the lands. She's training you for six months. I had to train for nine. Sonshi was strict in ways that would make old man Sarutobi blush, Zabuza was a certified psycho, Yugito is a sadist, and Kitami's an insane dominatrix."

Hinata cocked an eyebrow. "And those four helped you win the war?"

"I wouldn't be Emperor without those four and their insane training methods."

"True."

"Okay...all done," Naruto said as he finished tending to Hinata's injuries. "You should be fine come Monday."

The Emperor of the West packed up the first-aid kit and rose from the seat. Unknown to him, Hinata followed him. Naruto walked over to the nightstand and stowed the kit away. When he turned around, he was caught completely unaware by Hinata standing behind him.

They had kissed before, but this time around, it was Hinata, not Naruto, who had initiated it. This was another thing that Naruto had liked. Hinata was becoming more assertive and less meek. She was becoming his equal, but out of respect, she was his second-in-command. Oh, were the Hyuuga and Konoha are going to be in for a shock when Hinata resurfaces as not as the Fox Sage, but as the Empress Consort of the Emperor himself.

'Empress Consort Hinata Namikaze,' Naruto thought as he carried her to the bed. 'I like that.'

The couple would make out for most of the night. They both agreed that they would take their relationship further when they were both ready. Right now, this was all they needed for the moment.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Entry 4:<strong>_

_**Naruto has received a copy of the Bingo Book from Temari. Sure enough, it has my profile in it. A-ranked missing ninja with a retrieve-on-sight order. Even more worse was the bounty contract that came with the Bingo Book. Twenty million ryo. That's more than half of what Asuma is worth. Good thing that Naruto does not plan on heading back East for a while. But I'm not worried. Naruto will protect me. I've seen him in action and he will not hesitate to kill anyone who threatens his Empire or those he care about.**_

_**This also verified my desire to become even stronger.**_

_**I also was introduced to A, the former Raikage of Kumo. Given the fact that I was nearly kidnapped by Kumo ninja when I was a child, I was wary. A reassured me that the incident in which Hizashi had lost his life was his predecessor's doing, as he wanted the Bykaugan. I knew that Yugito was a jinchuuriki, as was A's brother. **_

_**Naruto verified it for me. Two of his Elite Guards were formerly of the Akatsuki, the organization of S-class criminals back east. Naruto had intercepted the surviving jinchuuriki and offered them asylum within the Empire. As for Konan and Yahiko, he had them place inside his Elite Guard not only to protect him, but also to keep an eye on both of them. So far, Kitami has not seen any reason not to trust them.**_

_**While I was training with Kitami, she told me the whole story. The Six Paths Sage...the Ten-Tailed Beast...Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan...and Naruto's plans in trying to stop it from destroying everything.**_

_**I hope that Naruto succeeds in destroying the Akatsuki and Madara. **_

_**Entry 5:**_

_**My research into overhauling the Gentle Fist is progressing smoothly. Back when I was in Konoha, I asked that bastard I once called Father about it. His reply: "The Kin Shiki Kobujutsu is forbidden for a reason, Hinata. Not that it would matter since you are a weakling."**_

_**What he didn't know was that one night I snuck inside the main house and after searching through his study, I found the Kin Shiki scroll. They did not give me any fighting techniques, but it did give me a bit of history on the predecessor to the Gentle Fist. The Forbidden Style of Kobujutsu was in the eyes of the Main Branch, a primitive style, designed to take on multiple targets. In layman terms, it was a style based on instinct.**_

_**One thing that they did incorporate into the Gentle Fist was the Eight Trigrams, and made it a more lethal move. Whereas the Gentle Fist relied solely on disrupting the chakra systems of the enemy, the Kin Shiki Kobujutsu targets not only the chakra points, but also has the ability to tear muscle and bone, as well as targeting the shiatsu points. The only reason I did not research this further was that I was pushed into the Cadet Branch.**_

_**Naruto was my test subject. Or rather, a shadow clone of his while he and Kitami watched. I first started with the basics of the Kin Shiki. The Kin Shiki is above all things, a fighting style that can be used to deceive the opponent, and to exploit their weaknesses.**_

_**I took down the clone in less than ten minutes. My theories on the Kin Shiki proved to be correct. No fixed positions, no set movements. It's a lot like Naruto's fighting styles: professional and direct, no wasted movements whatsoever. If the basics can drop a clone in less than ten minutes, then I would like to see how the advanced styles will do. **_

_**Entry 6:**_

_**At the meeting of the Imperial Council, Naruto introduced me to the other council members. Sonshi I already met. I sat in on the council meeting. The others had heard only an inkling about me, that the Emperor has finally found someone worthy of his heart. I think Lady Aihara was disappointed that she was unable to arrange a marriage with one of her daughters to the Emperor, but she was still happy for Naruto.**_

_**I told them the truth about my past. How Naruto and I came up together in the Konoha Ninja Academy, all the way to the events during the Chuunin Exams in Suna. I also told them that Kitami was training me to become the next sage and that Naruto and I decided to marry once my sage training is complete. The council members were shocked to hear such a thing, but they all gave me their support, formally recognizing me as the fiancee of the Emperor of the West.**_

_**Once that meeting was over, Naruto introduced me to the Spring Damiyou, Yukie Fujikaze. She was in town shooting a new Princess Gale movie and had decided to stop by the Imperial Palace. I was curious as to how she and Naruto knew each other, and Naruto told me. They met shortly before the Sasuke Retrieval Mission when she was hiding from her uncle, who was the ruler of Spring, then called Snow. **_

_**It also explained the funny autograph I saw of Naruto and her in his office.**_

_**Yukie was surprised, then overjoyed at the news of our engagement. Naruto promised her that she will be the first to personally receive a wedding invitation. Aside from that fact, Yukie was there to talk of a trading agreement with the Empire and Spring Country. Naruto's terms were more than generous: allow a Pekara Branch to be established in Spring, and Yukie can get much needed items to Spring Country at a reduced price. She agreed.**_

_**Entry 7:**_

_**It's been nearly five months to the day that I agreed to come here. Five months and my sage training is nearly complete. The Kin Shiki Kobujutsu has been perfected. Of course, I needed a training dummy, so Takuma Chiba volunteered. Naruto and the Elite Guards were in attendance inside the training hall, as were the Imperial Council and Kitami.**_

_**Naruto acted as proctor. He laid down the ground rules. No crippling moves, no killing the opponent. Hand-to-hand combat only. He then gave the signal to begin.**_

_**I saw why Takuma Chiba served as a member of the Elite Guards. His taijutsu is extraordinary. But I kept pace with him. Aside from my training with Kitami and Sonshi, Naruto has been helping me as well. He taught me how to make shadow clones, and of their one major advantage. Whenever a clone is dismissed, the person gains their experience. The most I can make were five. **_

_**But they served their purpose.**_

_**Takuma was not holding back. Neither was I. We fought long and hard for fifteen minutes, trading blows, until I decided to end it by using the 64 Palms. Takuma went down after I sealed his tenketsu. Seeing that he had lost, he conceded defeat. It was that moment, I knew that I had earned the respect of not only the Elite Guards, but of the council as well. Naruto and Kitami looked on in pride as the Imperial Council formally recognized me as the chosen consort to their Emperor.**_

_**Kitami gave me two gifts. A pair of ninjato that once belonged to Naruto's mother, and she enhanced my eyes. Now, I can use the Bykaugan to target muscle and bone more effectively, aside from the tenketsu points. Even though she did not say it outright, she knew that my training was complete. **_

_**Entry 8:**_

_**My father knows I'm back in the East. Naruto and I had gotten roped into an inspection tour of the Pekara Merchant Houses. Naruto's spy network back East has reported that since they knew that Naruto was the Emperor (but not his true identity,), the Konoha ninja has been ordered to give him a wife berth.**_

_**Unfortunately, given my Bingo Book status, I'm still fair game. Only when most of the ninja hunting me find out that I am with the Emperor, do they back down, as they don't want their respective villages razed to the ground by a pissed-off Emperor. **_

_**Too bad the ten-man-team from the Hyuuga main branch did not get the memo. That and when the lead ninja, a main branch member by the name of Haizou, tried to activate the Cagrd Bird Seal, he was shocked to see that I was no longer branded. Out of all of the main branch members who gave me grief when I was shoved into the Cadet Branch, Haizou topped the list. Which made my revenge ever so sweet. He once said to me that I should kill myself after I was branded, as being alive brought even more dishonor upon the Hyuuga.**_

_**So after incapacitating the nine Hyuuga, I summoned two clones that held him down while I performed the handseals of the Caged Bird Seal. I think Kitami has been rubbing off on me. Naruto was right about her training methods. She is an insane dominatrix. After I branded Haizou, I let him go. He was no longer a threat, as the psychological damage has been done. He had insulted and berated the Cadet Branch members for most of his life.**_

_**Consider this karma.**_

* * *

><p>Hyuuga Complex, Konohagakure no Sato.<p>

Hiashi Hyuuga knew that something was wrong when he began to read the mission report. Hanabi and Neji sat in front of the Hyuuga patriarch as his expression grew from neutral to angry.

The ten main branch ninja were the pick of the litter. They should have no problem in retrieving Hinata from the Empire. What he didn't expect was that his daughter – the same one who everyone in the clan had written off as weak – not only defeated all ten Hyuuga ninja, but had also branded Haizou with the Caged Bird Seal.

Hiashi slammed the mission scroll onto the table. Hanabi didn't even bother to read it, as she and Neji was already briefed on the chain of events which led up to this point. Neji, on the other hand, hid his emotions well. Despite disliking Hinata, he hated Haizou even more. In his mind, Haizou got what he deserved.

What made Hiashi so angry was that Haizou had committed suicide rather than to go through life with that accursed seal. It was another black eye to the illustrious Hyuuga Clan.

"It appears that Hinata has learned some new tricks while she was away," Hanabi noted. "Then again, I'm not surprised. You spread your legs to the most powerful man in the West and he will teach you how to defend yourself."

"Hotaru will be most displeased when he finds out that his son has committed suicide," Hiashi said. Turning to his remaining daughter and nephew, he gave them their orders. "Hanabi...Neji, find Hinata, and bring her back. I don't care how it's to be done."

"If we do that, then we risk the wrath of the Emperor," Neji pointed out.

"This is a clan matter," Hiashi snapped. "He can always find another whore to keep him warm at night. If word gets out that Hinata has been freed from her seal, but also drove a main branch member to suicide, then we will lose our standing in Konoha. See to your orders."

Hanabi and Neji nodded and left the room.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Entry 9:<strong>_

_**I was with Naruto and the others in the Fire Capital, where Naruto was inspecting the consulate and the Pekara Branch. It was there that we were invited to the Fire Damiyo's estate. Not one to turn down such an offer, Naruto and I accepted. The old damiyo was courteous and cordial. Like most of the leaders in the Elemental Countries, he had been following the Emperor's story with great interest. **_

_**The Damiyo was most surprised when Naruto revealed to him his true identity. His exact words were "To think that Minato's son would have become the Emperor of the West. Your father was my friend, Your Grace. And I am yours."**_

_**He also said that he was the one who had personally intervened when Konoha had tried to have him placed inside the Bingo Book following his banishment. Sadly, as I had willingly deserted Konoha, there was nothing that he could do for me. But since I am going to be his wife, I will automatically be protected by diplomatic immunity. When Naruto asked who was responsible for getting him out of the Bingo Book, the Fire Lord remained silent on the matter.**_

_**It was after we had left the Fire Lord's estate, that I saw that Neji and Hanabi were waiting for me near the Imperial Consulate. Naruto and the others stepped to the side, as they understood that this was my fight. Hanabi was complacent in her superiority, thinking that she would be the one who could do what the others couldn't. As for Neji, I had some unfinished business with him, stemming back from when he tried to kill me during the Chuunin Exams. **_

_**It was a two-on-one match. Jyuuken versus the Kin Shiki. Hanabi was no problem, as she was so full of herself, thinking that I would be an easy victory. As Sonshi once told me, "Pride comes before destruction and haughtiness before the fall." So imagine Neji's surprise when I calmly put down Hanabi without breaking a sweat before turning to him.**_

"_**We still have a score to settle, cousin," I snarled. **_

"_**Hanabi was reckless," was Neji's reply. "The Emperor can't help you this time."**_

_**Neji underestimated me. He wasn't expecting either the Kitsune-ryuu Taijitsu or the Kin Shiki Kobujutsu. The prodigy of the Hyuuga Branch Clan has fallen off his glorified pedestal.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Fire Capital, Fire Country._

_Neji sank to his knees. The battle between himself and Hinata had gone in a direction that he did not expect. Even Hanabi was shocked as she held her limp arm with her good hand, Hinata having closed off the tenketsu points, as well as dislocating it for good measure._

_Hinata stood tall, barely winded from the two-on-one battle between Neji and Hanabi. Inside, she was bursting with pride. The Kin Shiki Kobujutsu has exceeded her expectations in its first major test. _

_Hinata tapped one finger on her chin. "Now...what does this remind me of...? Oh, yes...the Chuunin Exams, when you tried to kill me out of spite. Now the roles have been reversed." _

"_You're...still weak," Neji hissed. "You were never cut out to be a ninja."_

"_You're wrong about that," Hinata replied as she activated her Bykaugan. "You tried to kill me...now let me return the favor."_

_Neji's eyes went wide. This wasn't the meek Hinata he remembered. This new Hinata was more driven, more focused...and more ruthless."You...wouldn't!"_

_Her hands were laced with purple-tinted chakra as she unleashed her final attack on Neji. One that Naruto recognized all too well. "Oh, I would, cousin," she replied, her voice laced with venom when she called Neji by his title. "Eight Trigrams...Sixty-Four Palms!"_

_With that, Hinata charged._

"_One becomes two! Two becomes four! Eight! Sixteen! Thirty-Two! SIXTY-FOUR!"_

_Hinata finished with a double-palm strike to the sternum that lifted Neji off his feet and sent him crashing into Hanabi. The current heiress looked on with fear as the former heiress calmly drew her ninjato and approached the both of them._

"_I can just as easily kill the both of you and send your heads back to Konoha as a warning," Hinata hissed as she deactivated her Bykaugan, the lavender orbs taking on a purplish hue as she radiated killer intent. "However, you two are more useful to me alive instead of dead. Give Hiashi a message for me, and I'll consider the both of you loose ends." She brought one of the ninjato to Hanabi's eye level. "Can you do that for me?"_

_Fearfully, Hanabi nodded. _

"_Tell Hiashi that if he wants me, then he will have to do his own dirty work. If he is man enough to brand me with the Caged Bird Seal, then he is more than man enough to come after me. I will be in Wave Country in two weeks. We will settle this once and for all." She sheathed her ninjato. "Take him and leave."_

_Hanabi did just as that._

[Flashback End]

* * *

><p><em><strong>Entry 10:<strong>_

_**Sigh. When will these ninja ever learn?**_

_**You think the Ninja from Konoha would understand that trying to cash in on the bounty is a very bad idea. First it was the ANBU who attacked me in Water Country while we were visiting the Hidden Mist Village. They learned the hard way that attacking a woman who can unleash a volley of arrows rapid-fire from a chakra yumi is a bad idea.**_

_**Then, Sakura Haruno attacked me while we were in Wave. Apparently, she was sent by Hiashi to soften me up before the match. So I sent her back to Konoha after performing the 64 Palms on her. Naruto had watched the fight from the Pekara Merchant House in Wave City and shook his head. **_

"_**It was not even a fair contest, Hime," he had told me after she was knocked out cold and sent packing. "I would have just knocked her out."**_

"_**She called you a demon, when it's pretty clear that you're not," I shot back. "And since you already beaten both Hatake and Uchiha, I wanted to beat her ass for a while, since both her and her mother are still calling for your head." **_

"_**She was a liability when we were under Hatake," Naruto had replied. "She's still one now. The banshee will not let this go. Just like her mother."**_

"_**True," I replied. "I must prepare. He will arrive in three days. In three days, I will shatter his sense of superiority once and for all."**_

* * *

><p>Snafu's Notes: For the Hinata vs Hiashi fight...I looked to Ip Man (the Donnie Yen flick) for inspiration. This is going to be very painful...for Hiashi.<p>

Wave Town, Wave Country.

Watching from the sidelines, Naruto Namikaze had a slightly worried expression on his face. Fortunately, his hat had concealed the worry he had on his face as Hinata faced down Hiashi. Naruto knew that this was a long time coming. Even he knew about the emotional abuse Hiashi had put Hinata through, which had ultimately led to this final encounter between father and daughter.

He wasn't worried for Hinata. He was worried about the state Hinata was going to leave Hiashi. But that was just a fleeting moment, as he looked on in anticipation of the inevitable match between the former heiress and her father.

He had given some advice to Hinata before they made their appearance. Advice that was brief and straight to the point. Advice that even Hinata liked very much. "Crush him."

The people of Wave Town had given the two combatants a wide berth, as the battle was going to take place inside the town square, Naruto promising that he would personally pay for the damages that would soon follow from this battle. Hiashi was escorted by Hanabi Hyuuga and three members of the Main Branch, while The Emperor and his Elite Guards backed Hinata.

The Hyuuga patriarch looked regal, yet intimating in his traditional robes, while Hinata was clad in her usual ninja jumpsuit. Having discarded her hoodie when she first arrived in the West, she had on something more practical – a black jounin-style flak vest, similar to what Naruto would sometimes wear. Her hair was tied into a single braid. Simply put, Hinata was ready to kick some major ass.

"So you finally come," Hinata drawled. "Only when your so-called honor is compromised, do you actually take action instead of sending your underlings to do your dirty work."

"This has gone on lone enough, Hinata," Hiashi snapped. "You have tarnished the family name for the last time. Be warned...if you continue down this road, then you will not live to see the end of this day. But if you forsake the Emperor and return to the clan willingly, then I will spare your life."

"I think I will take the other option and beat you down," Hinata replied. "You have called me weak because I was not the perfect little heiress that you wanted. Mother would be ashamed as to what you have become."

Now Hiashi was incensed. "Don't you dare dishonor her memory! You, who have betrayed your clan! Just to be a whore to that upstart of an Emperor. We'll see if you can still warm his bed when I am through with you."

The Elite Guards – Konan especially – were ready to take the arrogant Hyuuga apart for that insult to the Emperor's fiancee. But Naruto ordered them to keep their cool. "This is Hinata's fight," he whispered. "She must face her own demons and conquer them."

Meanwhile, Hinata looked unfazed. "I only wanted your recognition. You forsook your own daughter for your own political standing. When you branded me with the Caged Bird Seal...that was the last straw. I have beaten Neji and Hanabi." She pointed to her father. "You are the last link to my past, Hiashi Hyuuga. It ends here."

(Cue Resident Evil/Biohazard 5's 'Sad But True' for the duration of the fight)

Hiashi activated his Bykaugan and went into his Jyuuken stance, while Hinata's eyes changed from lavender to violet as she activated her Enhanced Bykaugan (sans the bulging veins). She shifted into her Kin Shiki stance (think Lili's stance) and waited for Hiashi to make the first move.

Hiashi pulled out several kunai and flung them at Hinata, who calmly weaved and spun through the deadly bladed instruments, while at the same time, closing the distance between his firstborn. Chakra seeping into his hands, Hiashi let loose with several rapid Jyuuken strikes aimed at Hinata's chest.

However, Hinata wasn't going to let him nail her with those lethal strikes. She has proven to Hanabi and Neji that the Kin Shiki was a lethal style when it needs be. Now, it was time for Hiashi to feel its wrath. Hinata calmly dodged the first several Jyuuken strikes before parrying the rest with her forearms.

She then scored the first hit; a open palm strike to his jaw, having breached through his defenses.

As Hiashi staggered backwards, Hinata went back into her stance. While Hiashi was busy sitting on his ass for the past couple of years, Hinata had been training long and hard, with Kitami and Naruto helping her reach her full potential. The former heiress then moved in, kicking low, then high, forcing Hiashi to block both blows, wincing from the impact.

Then she closed in the distance before Hiashi could recover. A straight punch to the face, followed by a blow to the chest. She moved around Hiashi's Jyuuken strikes and grabbed a handful of his hair, violently yanking his head back and driving her elbow into his jaw, followed by a chop to the throat. She completed the combo with a Jyuuken strike to his left arm.

"You're outmatched Hiashi," Hinata drawled as she went back into her stance. "Give up and I won't leave you a cripple."

Hiashi took the moment to reopen his tenketsu. "You dare make demands of me? You are still weak."

"Yet, you were unable to get a hit off of me," Hinata pointed out. "Don't feel bad. Neji and Hanabi were the same."

Another aspect of becoming the Fox Sage was that Kitami had drilled Hinata in the art of psychological warfare. Hinata knew how to press Hiashi's buttons, causing him to make several mistakes. But there was one mistake that even Hiashi could have avoided: never underestimate your opponent...**especially** your own flesh and blood.

Hinata stood her ground as Hiashi charged. One of Naruto's training methods was weight training, something he had picked up from Rock Lee. He had done the same, and used the same methods to make Hinata faster. Combined that with occasional sparring with the Chiba clan head and Takuma, Hinata's skill level was up to par with her soon-to-be husband.

A fact that Hiashi will soon find out the hard way.

Kin Shiki was basically the Gentle Fist in its purest form, Hinata having stripped the flaws and weaknesses out of the style. What made Kin Shiki even more dangerous was that it did not use the Bykaugan as a crutch. The same flaws and weaknesses that Hiashi was showing in the Gentle Fist as he and Hinata had gotten in close, blocking and parrying the other's strikes and blows.

This time around, Hiashi had caught Hinata with several strikes of his own, disabling her right arm. Hinata knocked him back with a kick to the jaw. Hiashi smirked when he saw that Hinata's arm was useless. Then his eyes widened when he saw the tenketsu open itself up again, showing that Hinata could once again use her arm. Hinata flexed her hand as the feeling rushed back into her hand.

"Surprised?" Hinata taunted. "You have nothing else to teach me, old man. I have far surpassed you. Just give up."

* * *

><p>As the match continued, Naruto noticed two more people that had arrived to watch the match. Both were Konoha Jounin, the first was male, with a beard, but no mustache, complete with a unlit cigarette, the female with undisciplined long hair and red eyes.<p>

Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi.

Naruto remembered that Kurenai was Hinata's sensei, and that she was married to Asuma shortly after Maru had made genin. Asuma was watching him, while Kurenai was watching her former student with what appears to be pride on her face. Nudging Sana on his left and Yahiko on his right, he said, "Watch those two. Just in case they try anything."

The two guards nodded as the fight continued.

* * *

><p>Kurenai cared deeply for her team. So when Hinata had defected from Konoha, she was no fool. She knew the reasons why. The Emperor has given her an opportunity to become strong without her clan holding her back. She always told Hinata, Kiba and Shino to do what was right, and this fell under that category, clan be damned.<p>

The genjutsu mistress watched with a sense of pride as Hinata not only stood up to her father, but was also winning. She wasn't using the Jyuuken style either. Well, it looked like the family style of the Hyuuga, only that it was more...purified.

Kurenai nudged Asuma. "Looks like the rumors were true about him being here," she said flicking her head towards the Emperor, dressed in all black, complete with the Kage-style hat, flanked by his Elite Guards.

Asuma nodded. "Still can't believe he was just a kid when he united the West. Looks like he was smitten with your student, probably the main reason why he took her."

Oh, if they only knew.

"Looks like your former student is holding her own against Hiashi," Asuma noted.

Kurenai nodded. It made her sad to see that her former student was branded a missing ninja, but from what she had heard of the enigmatic Emperor of the West, she knew that he would protect her from all threats.

Hinata ducked, then leaned backwards to avoid Hiashi's attacks. Hiashi attempted a Palm Heel Strike, only to have Hinata counter by calmly flipping him to the ground. Hinata raised one leg up in a vertical split before bringing the heel down on Hiashi, who rolled out of the way.

Hiashi had been training hard for this day, this Hinata had realized. After Naruto had defeated both Neji and himself, Hiashi had gotten back into training. But Hinata too had been training, refining the Kin Shiki into a formidable, yet deadly style.

Hiashi got a quick uppercut to his jaw, which stunned him long enough for Hinata to perform the Heavenly Spin, knocking Hiashi into the air. Hinata quickly summoned a shadow clone, which sent the Hyuuga clan head crashing back into the ground following a hard kick to his torso. As Hiashi bounced from the impact of landing hard on the pavement, the shadow clone vanished.

Hiashi got up, albeit a bit shakily as Hinata calmly stood there in her stance, determination in her eyes. The Emperor was calmly watching from the sidelines, pleased at how the battle was playing out. Kurenai and Asuma could make out that he was smiling, as Hinata had taken a page out of his playbook.

Hinata had interlaced her hand with Hiashi's, and had twisted it to the point where the pain forced Hiashi down on one knee. That left Hiashi open, allowing Hinata to strike him in the face repeatedly with a closed fist, the same way that Naruto had done to both Kakashi and Kiba, before flipping him to the ground.

Hinata calmly advanced on her father, whose eye was swollen shut from the barrage of punches, meaning that because of that, he could not use his Bykaugan in that eye. Hiashi coughed up blood, as he got back to his feet. Hinata parried his Jyuuken strike and smashed her palms against his ears, causing them to ring. His left arm was dislocated, the elbow broken following another attempt to attack. A punch to the stomach made the Hyuuga clan head vomit his breakfast.

As Hinata continued to ruthlessly dismantle the clan head, Asuma and Kurenai continued to watch from the sidelines. "This is wrong," Asuma said. "Why won't she just knock him out and get it over with?"

"Because Hiashi had made Hinata's life a living hell," Kurenai replied. "So Hinata is due for some payback. Not that I blame her. Hiashi is a prick, and the Main Branch members need to get knocked down a peg or three."

"So true, love," Asuma conceded.

As Hiashi staggered to his feet, Hinata decided to end this battle once and for all. And she knew just how to do it. Now only it will serve as a message to the Hyuuga, but it will leave quite an impression on her ex-father. Ducking under her father's attack, she nailed him with a Palm Heel Strike. Unlike the Jyuuken's version, Hinata struck Hiashi three times: the first was with her right palm, the second was with her left, and a rising open palm strike that knocked him back.

Hinata was not finished. One punch to the face, followed by a hard kick to the ribs, cracking the bone, which was then followed by a kick to the shins and a chop to the throat that stunned the Hyuuga clan head, allowing Hinata to nail the clan head with a power jump kick, flipping off Hiashi's body and landing gracefully, while Hiashi landed on a heap.

Hiashi quickly got back up...

...and fell to one knee soon after, coughing up more blood.

"You..." Hiashi gasped. "You can't be this strong! You...you're a weakling!"

"It's over, Hiashi. I've won," Hinata countered. "Your Jyuuken was no match for my Kin Shiki."

Hiashi's eyes went wide at that declaration. "You...you learned the Forbidden Style! How...there are no scrolls for it! They were destroyed!"

"Not really," Hinata replied. "The Gentle Fist was flawed. I merely perfected it."

"It doesn't matter," Hiashi spat out. "You're still a weakling. You are nothing!"

Hinata smiled evilly as she activated her Bykaugan. "And you're within my range." Her hands coated with Chakra she savored the look of disbelief on Hiashi's face as she uttered the following: "Eight Trigrams: One-Twenty-Eight Palms!"

Before Hiashi could react, Hinata unleashed hell. Summoning another clone, they both attacked at the same time. Watching from the sidelines, Asuma and Kurenai had seen the 128 Palms in action, but Hinata had taken it to a whole new level with the use of a shadow clone. Hinata and the clone had struck Hiashi sixty-four times each. And boy, did it look painful.

"One becomes two!" Hinata.

"Two becomes four!" Hinata's clone.

"Eight!" Hinata.

"Sixteen!" Hinata's clone.

"Thirty-two!" Hinata.

"Sixty-four!" Hinata's clone.

"ONE-TWENTY-EIGHT PALMS!" both Hinatas chorused as they struck the final blow together.

**CRUNCH.**

The last blow was aimed at Hiashi's leg. The Hyuuga clan head screamed as he felt his leg break. Collapsing to the ground, he was immediately surrounded by Hanabi and the other Hyuuga ninja. Hiashi coughed up blood as he tried to keep consciousness, his eyes showing nothing but hatred at his former daughter.

"How do you like your daughter now that she has no leash?" Hinata taunted as she dismissed her clone. "Any Hyuuga that comes after me, I will do worse to them than what I did to you. I wash my hands clean of you, Hiashi Hyuuga. You are no father of mine."

"You...you..."

That was all Hiashi managed to say before he passed out from his injuries.

"Father..." Hanabi whispered softly. Then she turned to Hinata, her own Bykaugan active, as were the other Main Branch ninja present. "Get her!"

Before the Main Branch ninja could move in, Naruto intervened.

The Hyuuga Ninja backed up as they saw Naruto at Hinata's side, katana drawn. He was backed up by his Elite Guards, who were ready for action. The Emperor drew a line in the street with his blade before turning his eyes on Hanabi.

"Hinata is under my protection...as if she needs it, from what I have seen," Naruto deadpanned. "Take your father and go."

"You can have that..." Hanabi was cut off when Naruto was at her side, the katana at her throat.

"Finish that sentence, and you will be a head shorter," Naruto threatened, the blade digging in just deep enough to draw a trickle of blood.

Hanabi knew that she was outnumbered. Given the Emperor's track record against Konoha ninja, Hanabi was not interested in becoming another number to his tally. Wisely, she backed down, while staring daggers at Hinata.

"This isn't over, Hinata," Hanabi seethed.

"Oh, but it is," Hinata replied as Naruto sheathed his katana. She took to his side. "Take him and go."

Wisely, the Hyuuga envoy made their retreat. Naruto and Hinata returned to the Inn of the Waves via shunshin. Meanwhile, Asuma and Kurenai both had shocked looks on their faces.

"Um, honey, did we just see what I think we just saw?" Asuma asked, flabbergasted. "Did Hinata just...cripple Hiashi?"

The red-eyed genjutsu mistress slowly nodded. "It looks that way." Despite Hinata being a missing-ninja, she could not have been more proud of her former student.

* * *

><p>Konoha – the following day...<p>

The news spread like wildfire throughout the village. Hinata Hyuuga, the former heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, and a A-ranked missing ninja, had not only beaten Hanabi and Neji Hyuuga, but had also crippled the Hyuuga Clan head himself, Hiashi Hyuuga.

Ino had found out when both Asuma and his wife had returned from Wave. Upon overhearing Hanabi and one of the Hyuuga branch members who was working as a medic in the hospital, that had all but confirmed it. Hiashi Hyuuga had been beaten by his wayward daughter.

Even more worse, Hiashi would never become an active ninja again, as there were too much damage in his leg when Hinata had shattered it. He would walk, but with a cane. His arm would heal, thankfully.

What surprised everyone was that it was Hinata that had done it. The same Hinata Hyuuga that was now, a Class-S criminal with a kill-on-sight order on her head, had crippled the arrogant and pompous clan head. The Main Branch members were in a complete uproar and called for a blood feud with both the Emperor of the West and the 'Emperor's Whore.'

The Cadet Branch, on the other hand, were silently overjoyed at the fact that the arrogant Hiashi had been knocked down several pegs, first by the Emperor himself, then by Hinata. Even Tenten had seen Neji smile briefly when he was told the news about Hiashi's utter defeat.

Several Main Branch members even went as far as attacking Makie Asahina and her fellow Pekara merchants while she was at her merchant's stand, solely because of her loyalty to her Emperor. After Makie had sliced down three Main Branch members with her katana and left them to bleed out in the streets, did the Hyuuga backed off.

Makie would have been charged with murder, had it not been for Kurenai Sarutobi, Shikaku Nara, Inochi Yamanaka and Chouza Akamichi, who were present during the fight. Thanks to their testimony, Makie wasn't charged with the three killings, as they were self-defense.

Hanabi simply responded by ordering an increase on Hinata's bounty, the price doubling from 20 to 40 million ryo, with the orders 'Dead or Alive.'

* * *

><p>Hyuuga Compound, three weeks later...<p>

The compound was on edge. What will become known as the Second Hyuuga Incident had just transpired in Konoha. A squad of S-class missing ninja had infiltrated the Hyuuga Compound in the dead of night. Their target: the heir apparent of the Hyuuga, Hanabi Hyuuga.

However, a Branch Clan member had sounded the alarm. The squad of S-class missing-nin were all routed and eliminated. They had no hitai-ates which identified them which village they came from, but one of them had a vital item which explained why they were there in the first place.

A bounty contract. The bounty in question was on Hanabi's head. The bounty was worth 120 million ryo, three times the bounty that was on Hinata's head.

The next day, a courier ninja had arrived with a scroll for Hiashi. The scroll contained a note from the Emperor himself, as well as a copy of Hanabi's bounty contract.

_**By now, all of the ninja villages in the East will have copies of this bounty contract. Call off Hinata's bounty and I will do the same with Hanabi. Speak with Captain Asahina of the Pekara Merchant House. Otherwise, I would watch the ninja in your village very carefully, Hyuuga. Oh, and if you break your word, I will destroy the Hyuuga Main Branch Clan.  
><strong>_

* * *

><p>Konoha, Office of the Hokage.<p>

Tsunade wasn't surprised when she saw Hiashi enter her office, leaning on a walking cane. She had heard about the attack inside his compound, as well as the bounty contract on Hanabi's head.

Hiashi slammed the documents on her desk. "My family was attacked last night! They tried to kidnap my daughter! I demand justice!"

The Slug Sage leaned back in her seat. "Funny. I seem to recall having this same conversation with you when you decided to brand Hinata with the Caged Bird Seal. You said that since it was a clan matter, that I have no influence in Hyuuga business. This business you have with the Emperor taking Hinata is a clan matter, as is this bounty. I have no influence in this mess, which is of your own making. If I were you, I would seek peace with the Emperor."

Hiashi growled. He knew that Tsunade was right. He enjoyed rubbing it in her face when she tried to stop Hinata from being branded with the Caged Bird Seal, and now, she did it to him. Now, all of Konoha had found out about the bounty on Hanabi's head. Remembering what the Pekara merchant had said about the Emperor being the most wealthiest of the clans in the West, he had a sinking realization that the bounty on Hanabi's head was just a hint of what he could muster.

More money than the noble clans of Konoha combined.

He excused himself and headed for the Konoha market.

* * *

><p>[Hinata's Diary]<p>

_**Entry 11:**_

_**Empress Consort Hinata Namikaze. That has a nice ring to it.**_

_**Right now, Naruto and I are at the Summer Palace in South Ichiyama. Kitami and A are running the Empire as proxies while Naruto and I are away for our three-week honeymoon.**_

_**As a girl, I always dreamed of being married to Naruto. Now, it's a reality. After Naruto had lifted the bounty contract off of Hanabi, things began to go even more hectic as the wedding date inched closer. Naruto and I agreed that we should not go for such a huge wedding ceremony, as it would draw unwanted attention. So we decided on a private, quiet ceremony at the Dragon Temple in the Imperial Capital, inviting only the powerful and influential clan heads for the ceremony. The Sand Siblings, Team Misfits, Yukie Fujikaze, Mei Terumi and the Jinchuuriki were also in attendance. Tazuma, Tsunami and Inari were also in attendance.**_

_**The marriage ceremony was just...perfect. Even A and Bee were in tears. **_

_**We said our vows, exchanged rings and sipped a small cup of ceremonial sake and the priest declared us husband and wife. The temple erupted in cheers as not only was I declared Naruto's wife, but I was also declared the Empress Consort – the most powerful woman in the Empire.**_

_**The people in the Western Empire celebrated in the streets. The Uzumaki-Namikaze dynasty was secured. **_

_**After the wedding reception inside the Imperial Complex, Naruto and I took a ship to South Ichiyama to spend our honeymoon at the Summer Palace. Three weeks...a lot can happen in three weeks.**_

* * *

><p>Summer Palace, South Ichiyama.<p>

Nighttime has fallen over the largest city in the Southern Region. Naruto Namikaze sat on the edge of the bed, absently running his thumb over his wedding band. They had picked up their wedding rings while visiting Yukie in Spring Country. Hinata had chosen a wedding ring with a row of six diamonds embedded in the wedding band.

Outside, the celebrations had died down, as it was almost midnight.

A lot has happened in the past six months which had led to this night. He had led men through battle and built an Empire from the ground up. But this night had pretty much petrified him. In the back of his mind, he almost wished that he was back in a war.

'Get a hold of yourself, Namikaze,' Naruto steeled himself. 'You've seen Hinata naked before. She's seen you naked before. I'm not scared of intimacy. It's only your wedding night. Aw, crap...I'm petrified.'

"Ahem."

Naruto's mental rant was cut off when Hinata made her presence known. Naruto looked up...and his jaw had literally dropped to the ground.

There was his wife, standing in the doorway. Wearing a white slinky negligee that did little to conceal her voluptuous frame. And from Naruto's reaction, Hinata knew that she had struck gold.

"Ug...ahh...umm..."

Hinata grinned. Seeing her husband, the indomitable Emperor of the West a quivering wreck was priceless. Then again, so was she, and she was the one half-naked. She just did a much better job of hiding her emotions.

'Damn it! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, SOLDIER! FIGHT!' Naruto's mind screamed.

Naruto finally shook himself out of his stupor and rose from the bed, just as Hinata walked over to him, that same grin still plastered on her face.

"I see you like my little outfit," Hinata purred, thankful that Konan had decided to tag along when she decided to go shopping. It was the bluenette's idea to pick up the negligee. Her hands began to unbutton Naruto's shirt. "Don't worry. I'm nervous too," she whispered.

"That makes me feel a lot better," Naruto replied. One hand scratched the back of his head nervously. "Um...this is my first time, Hinata."

"Mine too," Hinata replied softly.

Nothing else was said as the Emperor and the Empress Consort showed their love for each other that left little to the imagination.

* * *

><p>At the same time, in Hot Water Country...<p>

A super-pervert of a Toad Sage was in the middle of a pleasant diversion: peeping in on the women bathing in a hot spring. He had heard reports of the Akatsuki in the area, and decided to investigate. When he found nothing, he decided on the aforementioned detour.

As the girls splashed each other, Jiraiya watched as he let out a perverted little giggle as he scribbled down ideas for his next novel. Then his head snapped westward as he felt something. Something...familiar.

'What's this...? My super-perv senses are tingling,' he thought. 'Someone is getting some hot nookie.'

If he only knew that said person in question was his estranged godson. Sadly, that one distraction had cost him, as one of the bathing women had caught sight of the old man. Jiraiya found himself buried under a pile of wooden buckets.

* * *

><p>Later, at the Summer Palace...<p>

Clothes were strewn across the room – mostly Naruto's – while Hinata's lingerie laid in a heap at the foot of the bed. The Emperor and Empress Consort were in bed together, a single bedsheet covering their bodies for some sort of modesty. The Emperor was on his back, while his wife was snuggled up against his body. One arm was wrapped protectively around her waist, holding her close.

Naruto looked at the angry red mark on her right shoulder. A bite mark. He knew that Hinata was gently rubbing her fingers over the same mark, only it was on his left shoulder.

"Let me guess...Kitami?" he asked.

Hinata nodded. "Yeah. She said to do this, to mark your mate as you reach climax. I never expected you to do this to me as well."

"Any reason why she wanted us to do this?" he asked.

"To show the world that you are mine, and I am yours," Hinata replied. "So...no regrets?"

"None. You?"

"None," she replied, smiling brilliantly. "I'm glad to be here with you, Naruto."

"I'm glad you're here with me, Hinata," he replied, kissing her on the forehead.

After a moment, the kissing and petting increased until Hinata was on top of Naruto. "Another round?" she breathed.

Naruto grinned. "This is going to be a very interesting three weeks."

Snafu's Notes: 'Sad But True' is Evil Jill's Boss Theme, in case you're wondering. I was reading over the Hinata-Hiashi fight scene while my cousin was playing Resident Evil 5. So I kinda threw that in there for dramatic purposes.


	9. Side Story: Hinata's Ascension Pt 2

**Side Story 5: Hinata's Ascension, Part Two**

Snafu's Notes: Yes, I know that Kushina's name is being spelled incorrectly, but I did that on purpose, solely because the name looks better with two n's instead on one in my opinion. Also, this chapter combined with the first half of Hinata's Ascension was a whopping 21 pages long, so I split it.

Oh, and the little secret that Shikaku told Shikamaru? It's in this chapter. And keeping in with my modus operandi, it's a twist that you will not see coming. And this twist will make you hate Konoha even more. Which makes Naruto and Hinata's scheme regarding Konoha even more satisfying.

_**Entry 12:**_

_**Right now, there is a lull in the invasion. I guess I should start from the beginning.**_

_**The Akatsuki has resurfaced. Three months into my marriage with Naruto and they had resurfaced. Naruto and I are in Suna, where two of them had tried to kidnap Gaara. We were there on an inspection tour of the Suna Consulate – as well as Naruto checking on Gaara's seal, since Shukaku was starting to act nuts again – when we heard the commotion. **_

_**But even the Akatsuki were not expecting the Emperor and the Empress Consort to deprive them of two more members. I identified the blonde as the renegade Iwa ninja/mad bomber Deidara, while Kankuro and Baki identified the puppet master as former Suna ninja Sasori. Naruto had finished repairing Gaara's seal when the alarm went off. Yahiko and Konan proved to be useful when they told us how the pair fought. I decided to go after Deidara, while Naruto and the Elite Guard dealt with Sasori.**_

_**Gaara provided with the distraction, keeping Deidara occupied while I made my move. The crazy terrorist forgot one major rule we shinobi must follow: be mindful of your surroundings. I summoned a chakra Yumi and fired one Katon-powered arrow at Deidara, striking his pouch where he keeps his plastic explosives. For a split second, night became day as the pouch exploded, destroying the lower half of Deidara's body. **_

_**Gaara and I found his mangled body soon after. He was dead. **_

_**I later found out that the explosion caused by me detonating Deidara's pouch had distracted Sasori, allowing Yahiko to unleash the Shinra Tensei, destroying Sasori's body and core...but not before Sasori had managed to kill his grandmother, Chiyo when she tried to stop him.**_

_**Before Sasori died, he told us that the Akatsuki was coming for Gaara, as they assumed that he knew where the remaining Jinchuuriki were hiding. And with the deaths of both himself and Deidara, Yahiko knew that Nagato would unleash the Five Paths of Pain upon Suna. **_

_**According to Yahiko and Konan, the Five Paths of Pain was a rather deadly technique used by Nagato that serves as his representative in the Akatsuki. The five bodies were all reanimated corpses of fallen ninja, outfitted with chakra rods, allowing Nagato to control them separately, and each wielding the Rinnegan.**_

_**There was no way around it. Suna would be invaded by the Akatsuki. **_

_**But we did have the advantage of having the Jinchuuriki. Aside from having Pain, the Akatsuki also could use Zetsu to create a clone army, one that can even rival the Imperial forces, as well as having Madara Uchiha and his Eternal Magenkyou Sharingan.**_

_**Gaara's reaction was instant. He called all able-bodied Jounin and Chuunin back to Suna to prepare for the inevitable invasion, and ordered the immediate evacuation of the civilians and the genin of the ninja academy to both the shelters and the Wind Capital. Naruto used the Demon's Gate to return to the West and inform the Imperial Council of the matter. I remained behind with Yahiko and Konan. **_

_**Two hours later, Naruto returned via the Demon's Gate Jutsu. But he was not alone. The Jinchuuriki were with him...as was Zabuza and the Demon Squad in all its glory. Yugito and her Hellcat Unit were also present, as were the Yamada clan, the Shainto and Okajima clans and three battalions from the Imperial Defense Forces. Even A decided he wanted in on the action, leaving the Imperial Council in charge until Naruto's return. Temari and Team Misfit also join in the fray, Temari wanting to fight for her home, Maru and the other three wanting to make us proud.**_

_**While Naruto, Gaara and the high-ranking Jounin from both Suna and the Imperial forces went over battle strategies, one of the lookouts from Suna came with the news. The Five Paths of Pain were at the village gates. Fortunately, Gaara had ordered his ninja to fall back, while Naruto and Yahiko went out to deal with them personally. Konan and I kept to the rooftops, ready to defend and assist at a moment's notice.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Sunagakure no Sato, Wind Country._

_The streets were deserted, the civilians and those unable to fight having been evacuated. The Suna Ninja and the Imperial Forces had orders not to engage the Five Paths, and that the Emperor and Yahiko would deal with them personally. _

_Hinata and Konan watched from the rooftops as Yahiko stood before the Five Paths of Pain: the Animal Path, the Human Path, Naraka Path, the Asura Path, and the Preta Path._

"_Yahiko. This doesn't have to end this way," the Animal Path said. "All Lord Madara wants is peace."_

"_It's not the kind of peace I want," Yahiko shot back. "Placing the word under an Infinite Tsukoyomi is not peace. It's slavery."_

"_Still as arrogant as ever," the Naraka Path said. "That has not changed about you. You cannot win against us."_

"_Step aside and let us retrieve the Shukaku jinchurriki," the Human Path said. "Through him will we find the locations of the other Jinchuuriki."_

_As this exchange continued, something caught the Animal Path's eye. It was a kunai, sleek and black, made out of carbon steel. She crouched down and picked it up, inspecting it. Meanwhile, Naruto silently appeared from behind, katana drawn._

"_I'll save you the trouble," Yahiko replied. "The Jinchuuriki are safe. You or Madara will not use them for your foolish ambition."_

"_Such impudence," the Animal Path said still holding the kunai. "I will make your death quick and painless. Call it a favor from an old friend." _

"_I think my boss would have something to say about that," Yahiko replied._

_At that moment, Naruto struck._

"_Hirashin no Jutsu."_

_A yellow flash of light and Naruto stood behind Yahiko. The Animal Path sensing the danger, jumped, while the other four were a bit slow in registering the threat. She landed on her feet while Naruto calmly sheathed his sword._

_The technique was flawless, and Nagato did not see it coming. While Yahiko had them distracted, the Animal Path had picked up a Hirashin kunai. Not the tri-bladed variant made infamous by Minato Namikaze, but a sleek, black kunai with the Hirashin seals eteched into the blade. Yahiko had a second Hirashin kunai strapped to his back, just in case the sneak attack didn't work. When Naruto executed the Hirashin, he cleaved the Human, Naraka, Preta and Asura Paths in two, while the Animal Path managed to escape...barely._

"_Cute trick, but it won't be good enough," the Animal Path said. "You will regret the day that you decide to interfere."_

"_Not really, since I was the one who retrieved the Jinchuuriki," Naruto replied, longcoat and Kage-style hat fluttering in the breeze. "I'm the Emperor of the Unified West...and you are already dead."_

_At the moment when Naruto finished that sentence, blood sprayed out from where Naruto had slashed through bone, flesh and chakra rods. Looks of disbelief were evident on the four male Paths' faces as their bodies split in halves and fell over, their blood staining the Suna streets._

_The Animal Path did not get off so easily. Her jump was a fraction of a second off, allowing Naruto to cleave through her legs. She let out a scream as she fell backwards, bleeding profusely. _

_Naruto calmly strode over to the remaining path, grabbed her by the neck and hoisted her into the air. The Animal Path looked at the face of the Emperor and gasped. "The Yellow Flash..."_

"_No. I am his son," Naruto replied. "Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze."_

_The Animal Path's eyes went wide. "The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki...!"_

_Those were Nagato's last words as Naruto raised his other hand, covered with his own chakra and touched the chakra rods on the Animal Path's face._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>The chakra feedback that Naruto had unleashed on the Animal Path not only destroyed her Rinnegan, but also the other Rinnegan on the other Paths as well. When we sent a scout to Amekagure, he verified that the feedback had killed Nagato, destroying his eyes and tongue as well. <strong>_

_**The Rinnegan allowed the user all elemental attributes...but even the most powerful of the eyes have a blind spot. And the last thing they were not expecting was the son of Minato Namikaze executing the Hirashin.**_

_**With Nagato dead, the Akatsuki's numbers had dwindled down to just four: Itachi and Madara Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki and Zetsu. We had forced Madara's hand and now he has no choice but to invade.**_

_**Entry 13:**_

_**The battle is over. The Suna-Imperial Forces have won. The Akatsuki have been annihilated. 100,000 Zetsu Clones, along with Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki and Madara Uchiha against 6,500 Suna ninja, 50,000 Imperial Soldiers, six Jinxhuuriki and one freed Tailed Beast.**_

_**Sounds like a suicide battle, right? Well, my husband was once known as the unpredictable, knuckleheaded ninja of Konoha. And as Emperor, he still lives up to his title.**_

_**Gaara had declared most of the city expendable. Suna can always rebuild, he surmised. Yahiko had once again been instrumental in telling us how Zetsu fought, his strengths and weaknesses, as well as his jutsu. Kitami vowed to deal with Madara personally, while Naruto decided to deal with Itachi. Maru was assigned to Okajima for the duration of the battle, while Moegi was at the Imperial Consulate with the Yamada Clan. The Consulate had been transformed into a triage center and the Yamada clan were renowned for their healing jutsu. Last, Udon was assigned to Takuma Chiba. **_

_**Naruto had ordered me to remain at the Kazekage Tower. I refused. "Where you go, I go," I told him, giving him no room to argue with me.**_

_**He sighed and allowed me to come with him. The gathered forces of Suna and the Empire were in the streets, ready for the battle. Sonshi had told me how Naruto can fight with his men, giving them support and pumping them up for the battle that is yet to come. Now, I had a front-row view of my husband's tactics. **_

"_**This is where we fight! This is where they die! The Akatsuki will be crushed once and for all! Give them nothing! But take from them everything!"**_

_**The Imperial Forces and the Suna ninja broke into cheers, raising their weapons into the air. Naruto sure knows how to work the crowd, to pump them up full of confidence.**_

_**It was midnight when the Akatsuki came. They came in through the gates which had been destroyed earlier by Deidara, led by Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. Naruto and Yahiko had encountered the first half of the Zetsu clones. Naruto created two hundred shadow clones and brought down a quarter of the Zetsu clones using the Hirashin, while Yahiko decimated the other quarter by using the Shinra Tensei. **_

_**As the second wave of clones came charging in, led by Madara himself Naruto pulled out a trump card. **_

_**I've heard of Orochimaru using the Summoning: Impure World Resurrection to summon the first two Hokages to fight the Sandaime, but I never knew that Naruto knew the jutsu. I later found out that Orochimaru had stolen the technique from Mist. As Madara and Itachi watched, Naruto not only summoned the fallen Akatsuki members consisting of Deidara, Hidan, Kazuku and Sasori, but he also resurrected the most powerful members of the Uchiha Clan and ordered them to destroy the Akatsuki.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_After Naruto had unleashed the resurrected Uchiha clan and the four slain Akatsuki upon the Akatsuki, he faced Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. Kitami had initiated combat with Madara and the two were fighting tooth and nail. Zabuza had showed up and Kisame was itching to settle the score with the former Mist swordsman._

_Once those two were gone, Naruto drew his sword and removed the Kage-style hat, allowing Itachi to view his face for the first time. _

"_Recognize me now?" Naruto asked. _

_Itachi was hardly a person who would be shocked over anything, but seeing the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki standing before him was indeed priceless._

"_You...Uzumaki...?"_

_Naruto nodded. "Surprised, Uchiha? The last person you'd expect was the Emperor of the West," he confirmed. "It was also me who intercepted the Jinchuuriki – of which all all are present and are fighting in the battle. Madara wanted the power of the Tailed Beasts, so I'm giving it to him. See how he likes being on the receiving end of its power." _

_To Hinata, Naruto said, "This is my fight. Go and help the others,"_

_Hinata slowly nodded. "Okay. Don't die on me."_

_She ran off, leaving the Emperor and the renegade Uchiha to face off for the final time._

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>The battle between the fallen Uchiha and my husband was indeed brutal. Naruto would tell me about it shortly afterward. A epic battle of swords, fists and jutsu. One city block was incinerated with Itachi's Amaterasu alone. Another was razed to the ground by Naruto's Deadly Tempest. <strong>_

_**But Naruto would gain the upper hand in the battle when he feigned weakness and allowed Itachi to transport him inside Tsukoyomi. Then he activated his Fox Eye and released himself from Tsukyomi by using a specialized seal he had created. During the battle, he had gotten close enough to slip it on Itachi's back. It also had the desired effect of destroying Itachi's Sharingan eyes.**_

_**Naruto retrieved his sword and disemboweled Itachi. Now Sasuke is truly the last Uchiha. **_

_**As for Madara, I ran into Kitami as the battle began to wind down. Her bottom half of her face was bloody and she was dragging the body of Madara Uchiha in one hand. Madara may had been immortal, but not even he could survive an enraged Nine-Tails ripping out his heart and consuming it. She then destroyed the Eternal Magenkyou Sharingan by poking them out and crushing them under her heel. So ended the life of the true mastermind of the Akatsuki.**_

_**Zabuza also came out on top in his match against Kisame. He was seriously injured after Kisame scratched him with Samehada, but he would survive. Zabuza's Demon Unit left a path of destruction in their wake. A and Bee were pretty much indestructible together, as the pile of Zetsu corpses could attest to the fact. Yugito and her Hellcats showed no mercy, backing up the Okajima clan and Maru Sarutobi. Maru showed impressive courage by planting a Rasengan in a Zetsu clone who was trying to sneak up on Yugito, saving her life. Udon had 19 certified kills to his name before finally passing out from exhaustion. Takuma Chiba had taken him to the Suna Consulate, where the Suna medical corps, Moegi and the Yamada Clan worked on healing and tending to the injured. **_

_**The Elite Guards had defended the Kazekage Tower along with Temari and Kankuro. Utakata and Fu also assisted in defending the tower. Han and Roshi were like a force unleashed. Han's steam armor made him invulnerable to Zetsu's attacks. I think those two killed more than the rest of the Jinchuuriki combined. Like Naruto, Gaara was on the front lines, enveloping the Zetsu clones in mass Sand Coffins, and destroying them with the Sand Burials. Shukaku had boosted Gaara's killing abilities a hundredfold. **_

_**While Naruto was fighting Itachi, I assisted the Elite Guards. My kill tally was up to 120 Zetsu clones. Not too shabby if I say so myself.**_

_**After Naruto had eliminated Itachi, he reunited with Gaara and the others, and pushed the remaining Zetsu clones into the town center. Out of a force of 100,000 clones, only three hundred remained. Naruto gave the order: "Destroy them all."**_

_**And that we did. **_

_**Once the real Zetsu was identified (both halves), Gaara had ordered the bodies of the fallen Akatsuki to be rounded up and placed under heavy guard. Naruto had sent out an order to a squad of scouts to head for Amegakure to retrieve Nagato's body.**_

_**Once Naruto and Gaara had claimed victory, Naruto had retreated to the Kazekage tower. Once behind closed doors, he passed out from chakra exhaustion. Gaara and I carried him to the Kazakage office, and allowed him to rest. The Summoning jutsu that Naruto had unleashed had ran its course, and those that he resurrected had vanished into dust.**_

_**The Akatsuki Invasion of Suna is officially over.**_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in Konoha...<p>

Inside the council chambers, flanked by two ANBU, Sakura Haruno stood before the Godaime Hokage, her face in a grim line.

Ever since Sakura's defeat at the hands of the former Hyuuga heiress, Sakura had become even more hyper-tempered and in some cases, even more violent. But every time someone had tried to report it to Tsunade, her mother would either bribe or intimidate the victim into silence.

This time, however, Sakura's luck has just ran out.

When it became clear that Ino was the better student (despite Tsunade training them both at the same time), Sakura decided that she would be the only apprentice. The previous night, she came across Ino and attacked her from behind. Had she been paying attention in her rage, she would have realized that not only was the victim was not Ino (but rather a recently-minted bottle blonde Konoha chuunin), but she had assaulted the chuunin in full view of the Fire Damiyo, who was in Konoha along with his wife, the latter getting treated by Tsunade.

The Fire Lord had his Guardian Ninja take Sakura into custody. When Asana found out that Sakura had assaulted a Konoha ninja in full view of the Fire Lord, she knew that Sakura was in trouble. Which is why the entire Konoha Council was present. Or rather, the Shinobi half, as it was a shinobi matter. Asana was allowed to attend since she was Sakura's mother. Inochi Yamanaka was also present, thankful that Ino decided to remain at home when the attack happened.

"Lady Hokage, I beg of you, please be merciful," Asana pleaded. "Sakura was named the Best Kunoichi in her genin class. She should be allowed to resume her training. It was all just a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Tsunade repeated. "Sakura had assaulted a chuunin when she thought it was Yamanaka, when it became clear that Sakura was becoming a liability." Asana started to speak when Tsunade cut her off. "That chuunin had a cracked skull, and it is your daughter's fault."

"But..."

"Silence!" Tsunade shouted. "Asana Haruno, you are ordered to pay for the medical care of the unfortunate victim. Failure to comply will result in your assets seized and you placed in jail. Understand?"

"Yes, Lady Hokage," Asana replied through gritted teeth.

Tsunade then turned to Sakura. "Sakura Haruno, for your crimes...you are no longer a Chuunin in the Konohagakure Shinobi Forces. You are hereby stripped of your rank and your ninja registration is revoked. For your disgraceful actions in assaulting an innocent, you are to live the rest of your life as a civilian of the Leaf. So ordered."

Sakura was then taken away, with Asana following her. But before Tsunade could adjourn, an ANBU came rushing in. "Lady Hokage! Suna is being attacked!"

"What? By who?"

"The Akatsuki! The Akatsuki are invading Suna!"

Almost immediately, Tsunade took action. "Shizune, you're in charge! Captain Sarutobi, form a team of Jounin and have them meet me at the gates in five minutes!"

Asuma nodded and rushed off to obey.

* * *

><p>Konoha Gates.<p>

Tsunade looked over her team. They were the best that Konoha had to offer. Asuma had chosen the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Rock Lee, Maito Gai, Tenten, Anko Mitarashi, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Kakashi Hatake...and Sasuke Uchiha.

"What are you doing here?" the Godaime demanded of the remaining member of Cell Seven.

"I volunteered," Sasuke replied calmly. "I wish to help Suna in repelling the Akatsuki Invasion...and to redeem the Uchiha name."

"Given what your father was planning and what your brother had done, that is going to take a lot of work," Anko muttered. "Let him come, Lady Hokage. If he tries to head for Sound, I'll kill him myself."

"Fine," Tsunade muttered. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Sunagakure no Sato, Wind Country, several days later.<p>

It would be three days before Naruto regained consciousness. "Damn it. My head is killing me." His headache was soon gone as he felt the effects of the Mystic Palm jutsu. He recognized that touch in an instant. "Hinata."

"Yes, love. It's me."

Naruto slowly opened his eyes. He found himself stretched out on the couch inside the Kazekage's office. Hinata was by his side. The Empress Consort was in a fresh ninja uniform, but this time, instead of the flak vest, she wore a black-and-gray robe which identified her as a sage. The Emperor rose to a seated position. "How long was I out?"

"Almost three days. It's early evening," Hinata replied. "You should take it easy, Naruto. You're still exhausted."

"I know. My reserves are at least half-full, so I should be okay. What's been happening?"

Hinata sat down next to him. "After the battle, I sent back word to the West that we had won. Ryuji and Haruka had ordered all Pekara Merchants in the area to deliver food and aid to Suna. The Pekara Merchant House has been busy around the clock."

"Remind me to send a 'thank-you' note to the Shinzens," Naruto replied. "Anything else?"

"Gaara's placed all of Suna under martial law," Kitami said as she entered the office, followed by Gaara, Konan and Yahiko. "Glad to see you're awake, kit. Hinata has been by your side for the past couple of days."

"I noticed," Naruto replied. "The others? The Guards, Team Misfits? The Jinchuuriki?"

"All are alive and accounted for," Yahiko replied. "Congratulations, Namikaze. You have won a great victory."

Naruto shook his head. "No. We all did. I can't take the credit. We all fought long and hard, and against a powerful enemy." He stood up. "As of this moment, once I return back West, I am declaring the Jinchuuriki national treasures of the Unified West. For their actions here in the battle for the Village Hidden in the Sand, they are now Heroes of the Unified West."

Gaara stepped up and extended his hand. "Lord Namikaze. Congratulations."

Naruto shook it. "Same to you, Lord Kazekage." He looked at his clothing. "Is there a place where I can freshen up?"

* * *

><p>The city gates had been blown off, the city walls had cracks, crevasses and holes. Bodies of Zetsu clones littered the area surrounding the city gates as Tsunade and the Konoha envoy approached the gates. The Konoha ninja identified the Suna ninja by their style of flak vests. Squads of Suna Jounin and Imperial troops were hard at work rounding up the bodies and burning them in several giant pyres. The Konoha envoy passed several of them as they approached the gates. Pekara Merchants led their caravans into and out of the city, dropping off food and aid.<p>

As they approached the city walls, they noticed the number of tents located on one side of the city gates, the Imperial Forces having made camp, since Suna was too small for the Imperial Forces to contain. They could hear the laughter and the music coming from the camp, as the Imperial soldiers recounted their heroic feats of not only themselves, but of their Emperor, the Empress Consort the Jinchuuriki, the Kazekage, and of the Suna ninja, of which the Imperial Forces have grown to respect.

Asuma approached the gates with a bit of apprehension. Maru was a Suna ninja, and following Naruto's banishment, Maru had severed all ties to his uncle for supporting the banishment order. Kakashi had said that Maru had made Chuunin and that he was the Emperor's student, but even he had his doubts as he looked upon the village.

But as he approached the ruined gates along with Tsunade and the rest of the Konoha ninja, he saw his nephew, battered, bruised and bandaged, standing guard with Moegi, Udon and two of the Emperor's Elite Guards, of which Tenten and Rock Lee identified as Takuma Chiba and the second Asuma identified as Sana Sonshi.

Maru stood up. "Hold it! State your business..." He trailed off when he saw Asuma. "Oh. It's you, Captain Sarutobi."

Asuma winced. His nephew had never forgave him. Still hasn't from the look of things.

"What are you doing here?" Maru demanded. "Last time I checked, Suna and Konoha are on bad terms, regarding **that** incident," he said, glaring daggers at Sasuke. "You're not welcome here in Suna. Go home."

"We came out of good faith," Tsunade interjected. "We came to see Gaara and see if he needs help in repelling the Akatsuki."

"There's no need for that, Lady Hokage," Temari replied as she appeared, looking just as haggard as Maru. "The battle is over. Has been for the past two days."

Tsunade blinked. "So...Suna?"

"Suna still stands," the wind mistress replied. "If it wasn't for the Emperor and his Imperial Forces, we would have been overrun. Sorry you came this way, Senju, but Konoha is still not welcome here, Take your ninja and go."

As Temari turned to walk away, Sasuke stepped forward. "Wait."

Temari turned around. "Now what?"

"Was Itachi here?" Sasuke asked.

Temari nodded. "He was here. He faced the Emperor in combat. The Emperor killed him. The Akatsuki have been routed and destroyed under the combined leadership of my brother and the Emperor."

Sasuke stiffened slightly, but accepted the news. "Take me to his body."

Temari blinked. "What?"

"Take me to Itachi's body," Sasuke repeated firmly. "I want to see it with my own eyes. Please..."

Temari studied the last of the Uchiha long and hard. She had heard that he was working on his own redemption and redeeming the good name of his clan. Maybe giving him the pleasure of seeing Itachi's body would at least give him some kind of closure.

Temari turned to Maru. "Sarutobi, you're with me." To Tsunade and the Konoha ninja, she said, "Follow me."

Maru balked, but followed Temari's orders. He still despised Asuma, and that animosity showed as he and Temari escorted the Konoha envoy through the village. Imperial troops and Suna ninja patrolled the streets, while medic ninjas tended to the wounded. As they passed the Imperial Consulate, they saw that it had been transformed into a triage center.

Unknown to the Konoha envoy, the Consulate also served as the main spot where the jinchuuriki were resting up from the battle.

Asuma looked around at the carnage. Suna ninja and Imperial ninja and samurai were hard at work policing up the bodies of the Zetsu clones, carrying them outside of the village to feed to the burning pyres. Even Sasuke himself was appalled at the level of carnage.

"So what exactly happened here?" Chouji asked.

"It was 50,000 ninja and samurai from the Imperial Forces, combined with all of Suna's ninja force with the six Jinchuuriki against the remaining members of the Akatsuki...and 100,000 Zetsu clones," Temari replied.

"One hundred thousand? That's nuts!" Kiba exclaimed. "You guys were outnumbered 2-to-1!"

Temari smiled. "True, but the Emperor has fought against twice that number when he was uniting the West. I heard that he could bring about victory from defeat. Those rumors turned out to be very true. Those 100,000 clones turned out to be a major disadvantage when in close quarters."

'It also helped that Naruto used the Hirashin and Yahiko used the Shinra Tensei to slay half of those clones, not to mention resurrecting the fallen Uchiha Clan and those four slain Akatsuki,' Temari thought.

"It's not entirely impossible for a smaller force to defeat a much larger force," Shino noted. "Minato Namikaze decimated Iwa's ninja force by himself in the last Shinobi War."

'And his son just blew his kill record out of the water,' Temari thought. She had heard rumors of the Hirashin in action from Iwa ninja. Seeing it in action, on the other hand, was a completely different story. It was beautiful, but at the same time, very deadly.

"How did you end out, Maru?" Asuma asked, hoping to break the ice with his estranged nephew.

"I'm still alive, aren't I?" Maru shot back curtly. He made it perfectly clear that he did not want to talk to the elder Sarutobi. Asuma quickly caught on and remained silent.

'I screwed up big time,' the elder Sarutobi lamented.

Reaching the town square, the area was clear of the Zetsu clones. A smaller camp of Imperial Troops, mainly the Hellcats and the Demon Squad, made their temporary home. Yugito and Zabuza were nowhere to be seen, as they both were inside their tents, catching up on some much-needed sleep.

On the opposite end of the square, Tsunade saw him. A tall man wearing all black – Jounin vest, pants and boots, the face concealed by the Kage-style hat. He wasn't alone. Beside him was a female in a ninja jumpsuit, and the robe which to Tsunade, identified her as a sage, her face concealed by a conical straw hat. Tsunade saw that they had an air of authority around the pair. That and the Imperial soldiers that were guarding the town center bowed towards the pair, while the couple acknowledged them with a nod of their heads.

The Godaime Hokage nudged Maru. "Is that him?"

Maru nodded. "That's him, all right. The Emperor of the Unified West. The woman beside him is his wife, the Empress Consort. The Unified West are allied to Suna, which is why we managed to survive."

As Temari and Maru led the Konoha ninja to where the bodies of the Akatsuki were stored, Tsunade remained behind. Shikamaru noticed this and stopped. Maru not Temari did not notice, as did the Konoha ninja.

"I know that look, Lady Hokage," Shikamaru said as they watched the Emperor and his wife walk off in the direction of the Kazekage Tower. "You get that look, bad things happen."

"You worry too much, Shikamaru," Tsunade replied. "If the Emperor had the Jinchuuriki here, then Naruto could be here as well. I got to know if he is okay."

Shikamaru watched as Tsunade followed the Emperor and the Empress Consort. Sighing to himself while muttering his trademark phrase, he went after Tsunade.

* * *

><p>While Temari and Maru led the Konoha envoy to the location where the bodies of the Akatsuki were under heavy guard, Tsunade, along with Shikamaru had made their way to the Kazekage Tower. On the way, they passed many injured members of the Imperial Forces, as well as those from Suna. The Suna medic-nins, as well as the medics from the Imperial Empire and the medic-nins from the Yamada Clan were working overtime to tend to the wounded. As they passed the Imperial Consulate, it was made into a triage for the more critically wounded.<p>

As the Tower was not guarded, the Slug Sage and the lazy Nara clan heir had no problem in gaining access. Tsunade had been inside the Kazekage Tower once before relations with the Sand had soured because of Uzumaki's banishment. She had hoped to arrive with her envoy to assist in the battle, only to find that the battle was over, that the joint Suna-Imperial forces had won. Now, she wished to have a word with the Emperor, since it was he who had retrieved the Jinchuuriki.

Tsunade and Shikamaru had approached the Kazekage's office, where they could hear voices inside. Seeing as how there was no one in the halls that could stop them, they decided to listen in. Maybe even ask the Emperor about Naruto's whereabouts.

"Despite the number of injuries, we came out fairly intact. Only nine hundred Suna ninja injured zero fatalities, thankfully. Half of the village is in ruins."

'Gaara,' Tsunade thought.

"What's the tally on the Imperial forces?" a male voice asked.

'The Emperor,' Shikamaru thought.

"Double the amount wounded, also zero fatalities," a female voice replied, one that Shikamaru and Tsunade recognized instantly.

'Hinata!' Shikamaru and Tsunade thought.

* * *

><p>Inside the office of the Kazekage...<p>

The joint Imperial-Suna war council were going over the final numbers. Gaara was behind his desk, while Naruto and Hinata were seated together on the couch. Konan was busy redressing Yahiko's injuries. Kitami was looking out of the window at the village below.

Naruto turned to the two former Akatsuki. "Konan. Yahiko."

"Sir?" Yahiko looked up, as did Konan.

"Your information in regards to the Akatsuki proved to be invaluable," the Emperor said. "Because of your actions, we have not only destroyed the Akatsuki, but no one from the Imperial Forces or Suna was killed in the invasion. I know it must have been hard, destroying the organization that you helped create."

"It had to be done," Yahiko replied. "There was no hope for Nagato. Madara had corrupted him past the point of no return. I hope he finds peace in death which he could not get in life."

* * *

><p>Outside...<p>

'Two of his bodyguards were former members of the Akatsuki?' Shikamaru wondered.

'Madara Uchiha was still alive?' Tsunade also thought.

* * *

><p>Inside...<p>

"In any case, you and Konan have shown your worth to me, to my wife, and to the Empire," Naruto continued. "The clan needs to rebuild and Kimon City is a good start. The Uzumaki are scattered, but not destroyed. They will come to the West. I am making you clan head of the Uzumaki. Of course, I will still outrank you."

"Thank you, Lord Namikaze," Yahiko replied.

In the meantime, Hinata had risen from her seat and was making her way to the office door.

* * *

><p>Outside...<p>

Tsunade and Shikamaru were thinking the same thing. 'Namikaze?'

Then the door opened, causing the both of them to fall into the office.

* * *

><p>Both Gaara and Naruto rose from their seats upon seeing Hinata open the office door, causing both Tsunade Senju and Shikamaru Nara to fall into the office in an undignified heap.<p>

Kitami was upon the both of them. Grabbing Shikamaru by the hair and Tsunade by the back of her neck, she hoisted them up and tossed them both to the couch where Naruto and Hinata were seated at earlier. Hinata looked outside, and seeing that there was nobody else, closed the door behind her, taking the extra measure to place a soundproof seal and locking it.

Shikamaru and Tsunade were not in shock of being caught. No, their shock was not only the fact that Hinata was married to the Emperor of the West, but the identity of the Emperor himself. To Tsunade and Shikamaru, it was as if they were looking at Minato Namikaze himself, save that his hair was a reddish tint, the whiskers were gone, and he did not look very happy.

In an instant, Shikamaru knew. His thoughts about the Emperor being connected to Konoha were correct. He had no idea that in his wildest dreams, that the knucklehead, hyperactive, boisterous ninja who once proclaimed that he was going to be Hokage was now the Emperor of the Unified West. That and the fact that Naruto had beaten down most of the Konoha 11 and several clan heads, himself included.

Gaara's sand crept from his nearby gourd, Yahiko had his sword drawn, while Konan retrieved a paper shuriken. But Naruto ordered them to stay their weapons.

"I knew it. It had to be someone connected to Konoha...I never thought it would be you," Shikamaru whispered.

Naruto turned to Hinata, his expression smug. "I told you, Hime. Brilliant, but lazy. Leave it to a Nara to figure out who I am. It was only a matter of time."

"The Emperor...you...?" Tsunade croaked, still in disbelief.

Turning to Konan, he said, "Tell the Godaime who we are."

"His Imperial Majesty, Emperor of the Unified West, the Crimson Fury of the Empire, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze," Konan deadpanned. "And his wife, the Second Fox Sage, Empress Consort Hinata Namikaze."

"Namikaze..." Now Tsunade looked like she was going to be sick. "Oh, God...Minato...Kushinna...your son...they banished your son."

"Catches on quick, doesn't she?" Hinata quipped as she slid Naruto's arm around her waist.

Shikamaru looked on uncomfortably, as he already knew. After all, his father **did **tell him following Sasuke's visit.

"GACK!" Naruto croaked as he was caught in a bear hug, his face buried in between Tsunade's chest, his arms flapping wildly in a comical fashion, which got a good laugh from Hinata, Gaara, Konan and Yahiko.

"Naruto! I am so...so sorry. The council wanted to execute you, but I manged to override it to banishment! Please forgive me! Please..." Tsunade choked out, thankful that her godson was still alive.

"Um...I don't think he can breathe," Kitami pointed out.

Tsunade saw that Naruto was starting to turn blue, and released him. "Oh! Sorry," she apologized.

Hinata then noticed that Shikamaru was looking very uncomfortable. "Something you wish to share with us, Shikamaru?" she asked.

Naruto, now that he was freed, also noticed how Shikamaru was looking. "You know something, don't you?" he asked. He then took a guess as to why Shikamaru looked like he was about to bolt from the room. "The vote for my banishment was unanimous. The civilian council should have no influence with the shinobi. How did the civilian side pull it off?"

Tsunade turned to Shikamaru. "Well?"

Gaara had one eyebrow raised Spock-style, while Kitami had her arms folded under her chest. Even Konan and Yahiko were just as curious as to what Shikamaru had to say.

'Dad's gonna kill me for this,' Shikamaru thought. Sighing, he told them the truth. "My father told me...after you had fought Sasuke following the Suna Chuunin Exams. You called it right, Hinata. The Shinobi side had no intention of banishing Naruto. They were going to banish Sasuke instead, but certain people saw otherwise. The plot to banish you was spearheaded by five people; Danzou Shimura, Koharu Utatane, Honmura Mitokado, Asana Haruno, and Hiashi Hyuuga."

Hinata's eyes narrowed before changing from their usual lavender to a dark violet. Tsunade's right eye twitched. A vein was pulsing in Naruto's forehead.

"The civilian side was easy to convince," Shikamaru continued. "Asana is the head of the Konoha Mercantile Guild, so it was no hard task in getting them on her side, since most of them supported the Uchiha. I also heard that she paid a hefty bonus to the civilian side of the council once the banishment order came down. Danzou, on the other hand...he approached the shinobi clan heads one by one save for Hyuuga and gave them an ultimatum: vote in the favor of the banishment, or he would have their children kidnapped and forcibly enlisted into his ROOT ANBU...if they resisted, then they would be killed, along with their parents. As to your clan, Dad told me that as well, that you were his son. Minato and my old man were longtime friends, as were Inochi and Chouza. When Danzou came with his ultimatum, they betrayed Minato's memory by protecting us."

Naruto looked at Shikamaru long and hard for a moment. Then he turned to Kitami. The Nine-Tails was known for easily spotting lie from truth, which was useful to Naruto in the days of the Unification War. The redhead nodded in the positive. "He's telling the truth. Not even a Nara could lie convincingly to save his life."

Konan shook her head in disbelief. Naruto had told her about him being banished. But now, this places everything in a new light. "It was love that drove them to betray one of their own," the bluenette said. "For the lives of their children, they banished a hero."

Even Gaara was furious. Not even his relationship with his father was this bad, and he was the one who had Shikaku sealed inside his gut. "Disgraceful."

Tsunade, on the other hand, was seeing red. "Danzou's dead," she seethed. "Danzou...those two fleshbags...Haruno...Hiashi...all of them."

"Get in line," Naruto snapped, his eyes changing from blue to gold. "I'll kill them myself...Danzou and his ROOT...Hiashi and any Hyuuga - Main or Cadet Branch - that gets in my way...Neji...Hanabi...I'll snap the necks of those two old fools and see whether or not Asana Haruno can shit gold."

Yahiko raised one hand. "Can we help?" he asked, itching to get in on the battle. No one screwed with his family.

"Gladly," Naruto replied. "Why stop there? Maybe I'll let Kitami finish off what she started. See if anyone is willing to seal her inside their gut."

Kitami gave the Emperor a fanged grin. Sure the battle for Suna was fun, since she got to rip out Madara's heart and got involved in some good old-fashioned wholesale destruction, but even she could enjoy destroying Konoha once and for all. Willingly, this time.

"Wait."

Naruto's rant was cut off by Hinata. The Emperor turned to his consort. "What is it, Hinata?"

Hinata's eyes turned back to normal. "There is another way to destroy Konoha. Unleashing the Imperial Army... that's too easy. There are many ways to destroy a town. But to break its will and destroy it from the inside...that is how you truly destroy your enemies."

"Go on," Naruto said as he deactivated the Fox Eye.

"After you were banished, any and all alliances and trade agreements Konoha had through you were terminated almost immediately," Hinata said. "The Fire Lord had cut Konoha's military aid by half. By the time I left, the shinobi were one step away from declaring civil war on the civilians."

"That much is true," Shikamaru confirmed. "Once you were banished, Haruno and the civilian council pretty much thought that it can interfere in Shinobi matters. Hiashi and Danzou had both reprimanded her twice."

"You want me to provoke a civil war?" Naruto asked.

Hinata shook her head. "I was thinking of something a bit more...subtle. Konoha's might is backed by its shinobi. Take away that equation, and Konoha will be crippled even more."

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "Okay, Hinata, you have my attention. Continue."

"The best way to break Konoha's power is to grant the clan heads and their families asylum within the Empire. Nara...Akamichi...Yamanaka...Sarutobi...Inuzuka...as well as any high-ranking Jounin and Chuunin who support the Godaime. This way, you can irreversibly cripple Konoha's military power without drawing your sword."

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "The only way a hidden shinobi village can stay just as that if they have a certain quota of ninja as their main military. If Konoha's military is reduced to the point where they cannot replace their numbers..."

Shikamaru finished the thought. "...then Konoha would no longer be a ninja village, nor it would be recognized as one of the five great Shinobi villages. Konoha will pretty much self-destruct from the ensuing chaos. Or better yet, the ensuing factions will weaken the village even further with the inevitable civil war, since they are a lot like Kumo and Iwa – united in their hatred of you. Danzou, Asana, the two advisers and Hiashi are all jockeying for the leadership role of Konoha, and will not be subservient to the other."

"What about the Hyuuga?" Naruto asked.

Hinata frowned. "All of the Main Branch support Hiashi and Hanabi. I will never forgive the Main Branch for what they had done to me. As for the Cadet Branch...I'm willing to show them mercy."

Shikamaru was surprised to see the anger in Hinata. Even he knew that she had gotten a raw deal with the whole Caged Bird Seal fiasco. 'Yikes. Very troublesome. Reminds me of Mom.'

Naruto thought about it for a moment. With the exception of the Hyuuga and a sizable number of Chuunin and Jounin, the majority of Konoha's shinobi forces were loyal to the Hokage, Ibiki included. And Hinata was right. Konoha would be crippled if more than half of the Shinobi force abandoned the village.

And if Konoha attacked Wave, Mist or even the Pekara branches, he could just simply unleash the Nine-Tails upon the village, or destroy it himself. Or wipe out the remaining Shinobi force loyal to Danzou and the Hyuuga, **then **let Kitami raze the village to the ground.

"Your proposal has merit, Hinata," the Emperor conceded. "If the main shinobi clans are innocent in this mess, then I will not harm them. But...if they seek redemption, they must prove worthy of it. We'll talk about this later."

Hinata nodded, while Shikamaru breathed out a sigh of relief.

The former Konoha genin then turned to Tsunade. "I know it will be hard, but do not make a move against the conspirators. Danzou is especially dangerous, not because of his ROOT ANBU, but because he is not as crippled as most people think."

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked.

"The bandages on his face are concealing a Sharingan," Naruto explained. "He also has a mechanical arm retrofitted with at least a dozen more, probably taken from the Uchiha clan after Itachi killed most of them. I know because I've seen them during our confrontation at the Fire Temple. Danzou's also plan on making a play for the Hokage's seat, this he also verified to me at the temple."

Tsunade nodded. She then asked the question that was on her mind. "So it was you all along? You retrieved the Jinchuuriki and beaten most of Konoha's clan heads and jounin?"

"It was me," Naruto replied.

"Why?"

Naruto tossed a glance to Shikamaru. "The slacker and his teammates thought that I had nearly killed Asuma. My targets were Hidan and Kazuku, for what they did to Chiriku."

"The warrior monk? Asuma-sensei told us about him," Shikamaru said. "They both served together as part of the Fire Lord's Guard."

Naruto nodded. "After I was banished, he offered me a place to stay for the night while I gathered my strength," the Emperor explained. "He was one of few that had showed me kindness. When I came back during the inspection tour of the Pekara Houses, I decided to visit him, only to find that Hidan and Kazuku had killed him for the bounty on his head. Asuma was just lucky that I decided to stop Hidan from killing him. Then you three show up and the rest is history. I kinda looked at beating down Konoha's elite as a twisted form of closure. Can you imagine the reactions of those who lost to me, the Demon of Konoha, the dead last of the Konoha 11?"

"No argument there," Shikamaru muttered, but was still loud enough for the others to hear.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile...<p>

The bodies of the Five Paths of Pein, Deidara, Sasori, Kisame Hoshigaki, Nagato (which had been recovered by the Imperial Forces), Itachi Uchiha and Madara Uchiha were located in a deserted home, laid out in a row, under heavy guard from both Suna and the Imperial Forces.

Only Sasuke Uchiha and one other person was allowed inside. Sasuke chose Kakashi. The sole remaining member of Cell Seven was silent as he looked at the body of his brother. For such a long time, he was obsessed with the idea of killing his brother.

Now, Itachi was dead, slain by the Emperor himself.

'I really don't know if I should send him a 'thank-you' card or try and kick his ass,' Sasuke thought.

Sasuke thought of nothing but revenge for the longest time. Now, he felt...empty, as if he didn't know what to do. His road of revenge had led to the destruction of Cell Seven – Naruto was banished for bringing him back and no one knew where he was at, and now, Sakura was a certified sociopath who tried to eliminate Ino.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Kakashi was behind him. "Are you okay?"

Sasuke sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. Killing Itachi was the onlu thing on my mind for so long. Now...I don't know what to think anymore."

Kakashi remained silent as he looked at the body of Itachi Uchiha.

* * *

><p>Back at the Kazekage Tower...<p>

Tsunade and Shikamaru had just found out that Kitami was in fact the Nine-Tailed Fox in human form.

"Impossible! You broke the seal?" the slug princess gasped while the redhead looked rather smug.

"I did," Naruto replied. To prove it, he showed her his stomach. No seal. That and Kitami showing off her tails cinched it for the both of them.

Hinata gave Tsunade a quick recap of the events, from the origin of the Tailed Beasts to her training under Kitami as the Third Fox Sage.

"Fox Sage, huh? And Mito and Kushinna were the first two?" Tsunade asked, sounding impressed. "Not bad, Hinata. Not bad at all." She looked at the rings on their fingers. "How long you two have been married?"

"Three months," Naruto replied, while Hinata beamed proudly. "The people love her."

"I'll bet," Tsunade said. "So what about the other Jinchuuriki?"

"I intercepted them; Yugito, Roshi, Han, Utakata, Bee and Fu."

"Killer Bee? A's brother? How did you manage to pull that off?"

"A and Bee were overthrown by a new Oto-backed Raikage a year earlier. I rescued them from the Kumo ANBU and offered them sanctuary. When I rescued Yahiko and Konan from the Akatsuki, they told me about Madara's plans for world domination – Operation Tsuki no Me."

Shikamaru blinked. "Eye of the Moon? What's that?"

This time, it was Konan and Yahiko who laid out Madara's scheme, and how Naruto had put a stop to it by retrieving the Jinchuuriki. Madara was present during the final battle, and it was Kitami that had slain the supposedly immortal Uchiha. Naruto was credited for killing the Five Paths of Pain, as well as slaying Sasuke's older brother. The news was already spreading throughout the East of the Akatsuki's destruction, and the Emperor was given a new nickname: The Akatsuki Killer.

But then, something that Naruto had said had caught Tsunade's attention. "Wait. What you said about Oto backing the new Raikage...that means..."

Naruto nodded. "Yup. It means that Orochimaru is planning to raze Konoha to the ground yet again. This time around, I'm not going to risk my neck for a village who worships my father, yet banish the son for doing his job. Orochimaru has installed a puppet Kage in Kumo." Off Tsunade and Shikamaru's surprised expressions, he explained, "My Intelligence Division keeps me informed of all the goings on in the East. Who would suspect humble merchants from the Pekara Merchant House as intelligence officers?"

"The Pekara House is just a front?" Shikamaru asked.

"No, it's a genuine mercantile guild," Hinata explained. "The Pekara Houses in the Fire Capital, Kumo, and Iwa house the intelligence networks. After all, no one would suspect that a couple of merchants are spies for the West."

"And Captain Asahina?" Tsunade asked, remembering the encounter with the former Jounin/Pekara Merchant.

"She's also part of the network of spies I have here," Naruto replied. "But Asahina cannot be in Konoha all of the time. I need eyes in Konoha." He turned to Shikamaru. "And you're it, Nara."

"Me? A spy?" the shadow ninja blinked. "Forget troublesome. It's a pain in the ass. Forget it."

"He's perfect," Hinata seconded. "He's a slacker and he's lazy. No one would suspect Shikamaru passing on information to Captain Asahina. Tsunade and Shizune can't since Danzou's probably has the both of them watched. But Shikamaru's perfect."

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" Shikamaru whined.

"No," Tsunade replied. "Shikamaru, I am ordering you to work with Captain Asahina whenever she arrives in Konoha. In any case, the others will think that you have a crush on her. I know you are very much risking your life by telling us the truth about why Naruto was banished, but the clans need some sort of an insurance policy." She turned to Naruto. "You will keep your word? You will grant the clans asylum when the time comes?"

Naruto nodded. "Furthermore, you will not tell **no one** that you have seen me here. In any case tell them that you did gain an audience with the Emperor, and that I am safe back West, and that I have severed all ties with Konoha. As long as the others are in the dark, Danzou and the others are none the wiser."

Tsunade and Shikamaru nodded.

"I'll have a sit-down with the Fire Lord and explain what is happening," Naruto said. "He already dislikes Konoha for what they had done to me. He won't refuse my request. And now, it's time for the both of you to leave." He undid the soundproof seal. "Gaara, can you have two of your Jounin escort Tsunade and Shikamaru out of the tower?"

The leader of Suna nodded. Minutes later, two Suna Jounin arrived. Gaara gave them their orders. "Escort Lady Hokage and her entourage out of the city."

The two ninja nodded and performed their duty.

* * *

><p>Suna Gates, minutes later.<p>

Temari noticed that something was wrong when she and Maru had escorted the Konoha Ninja from the site where the slain Akatsuki members were located back to the city gates. Shikamaru and Tsunade were not with them. Before she could order a squad of Suna ninja to round up the two missing ninja, two Suna ninja appeared via shunshin. With them, were Shikamaru and Tsunade.

"Orders from your brother," the male Jounin said. "The Konoha ninja are to be ejected from the village, effective immediately."

The Konoha ninja winced. Gaara still mistrusted the Leaf after all this time. Meanwhile, several Imperial troops carried out the bodies of the dead Akatsuki members, and fed them to the flames of the pyre.

"Let's go," Tsunade said. "There's nothing we can do here."

As the Konoha ninja departed from Suna, Sasuke approached Tsunade. "Did you get a chance to meet with the Emperor?" he asked.

"I did."

"What did he say? Was Naruto here?"

"He was," Tsunade replied, "but he went back West with a Pekara caravan. From the look of things, he has long since wants nothing to do with the Leaf," she added, twisting the knife, reminding him that it was his fault that because of his actions, that Konoha was in its present state.

"No big loss, Lady Hokage," Kakashi interjected, both him and Anko having overheard the conversation between the buxom Hokage and the last Uchiha. "He was a dead last, anyway. He would not have made it in this world. Let the Emperor take him."

That earned him a bone-chilling stare from Sasuke that would have made Itachi proud. "You're such an asshole, Hatake," Sasuke snarled before storming forward.

"What? What did I do?" Kakashi said.

"As much as I hate to admit, I gotta agree with the Uchiha," Anko said. "You **are** an asshole, Hatake. That dead-last had more guts than you and the banshee put together. And we kicked him out of Konoha because he done his job. And where were you when the banishment order came? You were among the people who condemned him. Some sensei you were."

Surprising enough, Anko was one of the few who had a grudging respect for the banished ninja. Only thing was when the banishment order came down, she was in the hospital following a training accident in the infamous Forest of Death. When she heard the news, she was furious. The black eye and broken jaw she gave Kakashi bared witness to that, earning her a nod of approval from Tsunade.

"Now listen..."

"Don't say anything else," Tsunade added, cutting off Kakashi's reply. "Just...**don't.**"

Kakashi was silent for the rest of the way back to Konoha.

* * *

><p>Naruto sneezed, and had the urge to grab his katana and hack apart his former sensei.<p>

* * *

><p>[Hinata's Diary]<p>

_**Entry 14:**_

_**Naruto and I stayed in Suna for the following week, helping Gaara oversee the reconstruction efforts of the Sand. During our stay, the Tsuchikage himself came to call on the Emperor. Onoki and Naruto had a sit-down, the old man had watched the Akatsuki Invasion and had seen the Imperial Army in action. Naturally, he was concerned that Iwa would be next. Naruto was truthful to the old man, telling him that the only reason he intervened was because of his military alliance with Suna, and that Gaara was a friend of his. That and the Akatsuki were a credible threat. He said that he did not plan on invading the East, that he was more than content with ruling the Western Empire. **_

_**_**Onoki was satisfied with Naruto's answer**_. He left afterward. So much for Iwa.**_

_**The day before our departure back west, Naruto received another visitor – an emissary from Kumo. Apparently, they had thought that just because I was in the Bingo Book and was without the support of my former clan, that I was fair game. Kumo had also been watching my every move ever since I resurfaced and requested, no demanded that Naruto turn me over. Naruto told them politely to fuck off. He also added that not only was I was his wife, but any aggressive actions towards me is a one-way ticket to the morgue. The Kumo envoy backed off.**_

_**Once everything was in place for the reconstruction efforts, Naruto, the Jinchuuriki, the Imperial Troops and myself returned to the West via Demon's Gate Jutsu. First thing we did after dismissing the troops and Jinchuuriki was that Naruto and I slept for the rest of the day and all night. The following morning, we got to work.**_

_**Naruto made good on his word. The Jinchuuriki were declared national treasures of the Empire for their actions. The soldiers that fought in the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna were given hazard pay from the Imperial Treasury (as Naruto understood that underpaid soldiers can be potentially mutinous). Also, for their actions in the Suna-Akatsuki War, Gaara had promoted Moegi, Udon and Maru Sarutobi to Jounin. **_

_**The people rejoiced as they took in the news that their Emperor had removed a threat from the East, one that threatened the Jinchuuriki, and potentially the Empire if they had the chance to stake a foothold in the country. **_

_**The destruction of the Akatsuki also served to put the East on notice. You mess with the Empire or their allies, see where it leads you. The celebration of the Emperor and Kazekage's victory lasted for most of the week. The Jinchuuriki were treated like rock stars. Afterward, things began to calm down and Naruto and I returned to ruling the Empire...as well as spending time with each other.**_

_**I honestly think that the Suna-Akatsuki War has all but increased my standing with the people of the West. They see that I am not just a pretty face that hides behind the Emperor when trouble appears. They see that I can fight just as well as my husband. The council gave me a new nickname: 'The Lady of War.'**_

_**Not really my style, but beggars can't be choosers. Oh well.**_

Snafu's Notes: And so, the side stories are (finally!) complete. Back to the main storyline!


	10. 3 Infiltrations and Plans

**Chapter Three: Infiltration and Plans**

Snafu's Notes: Despite the minor number of flames, the story is progressing very nicely. I'm surprised no one hasn't picked up on the numerous references I made in the story, such as the Hall of Sovereigns, where the Imperial Council meet, that I picked up from Gears of War. The Lahja Mountains, for those who grew up with Nintendo, came from Ninja Gaiden 2: The Dark Sword of Chaos. And for this chapter, I hocked in a Resident Evil 5 reference.

Five days after Kakashi's party had left for the Western Empire...

The Konoha Council received an unwanted guest in the form of an envoy from Oto.

Escorted by guards enhanced with the Cursed Seal and ready to attack at a moment's notice, Kabuto Yakushi scanned the faces of the Konoha High Council, both shinobi and civilian. The Konoha ANBU stood close by, along with several of Danzou's ROOT ANBU, katanas drawn.

The right-hand man of Orochimaru smirked to himself. Even Konoha had to follow the rules when it came to visiting diplomats, and despite being from the Sound, Kabuto was no exception to the rule.

"What are you doing here?" Tsunade demanded from her seat.

"Now, now," Kabuto chided. "There's no need to be rude, Lady Hokage. I bring greetings from your former teammate, Lord Orochimaru...as well as a message. In three weeks' time, Lord Orochimaru will return to Konoha...and finish what he had started, along with the Tsuchikage and the Raikage backing him up as support. In other words, this is a formal declaration of war on the Leaf."

"The will of fire will extinguish your master!" one civilian shouted. "Konoha is the strongest of the shinobi nations!"

Kabuto scoffed. "Konoha is a disease. Face it, you basically alienated each and every single ally you had when you banished your trump card. Oh, yes...Lord Orochimaru knows that you have banished the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. Because of that, no other village will not come to your aid. In any case, Lord Orochimaru and his allies from Stone and Lightning are hereby giving you a chance to save your pathetic village."

"Orochimaru offering terms? How thoughtful of him," Tsunade sneered. "Name your terms."

"Four simple requests...no, make that demands," Kabuto replied, knowing full well that Konoha would not accept the surrender offer. "First off, Konoha is to surrender Sasuke Uchiha to Oto. Second, Kumo wants a Hyuuga. Not one with the Caged Bird Seal..." At that, he paused so that he could face Hiashi when he told him of the demand. "...but one from the main branch. Your remaining daughter, Hanabi."

In a rage, Hiashi was out of his seat. "You will not take my daughter!" he bellowed as Tsume Inuzuka, Asuma Sarutobi, and Shikaku Nara restrained him.

Kabuto ignored Hiashi's outburst. "Third...Iwa wants the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing. As it was the property of Minato Namikaze, Iwa wants the Scroll so that they can destroy it, and with it the legacy of Konoha's Yellow Flash. And finally...Konoha must recognize the Sound as a major Shinobi power...while at the same time, step down as one of the five major villages."

With a roar, Hiashi threw off the other jounin and despite his bad leg, charged at Kabuto, who made no move as Hiashi grabbed him and was preparing to turn his brain into jelly from a Jyuuken strike.

"You kill me, Lord Orochimaru will find out," Kabuto threatened. Pulling down his shirt so that the shoulder is exposed, he showed Hiashi the Cursed Seal, which was activated. "Yes, strike me down, and you will condemn your daughter...your clan...and all of Konoha to the sword by the end of the day."

With a growl, Hiashi released Kabuto, who merely adjusted his clothing. "Good, Lord Hyuuga. No one doesn't have to die today." To Tsunade, he said, "These are our terms. The choice is yours - destruction or sacrifice." He mockingly bowed to Tsunade. "You have three weeks to make your choice. Failure to comply...well, you know the consequences."

* * *

><p>Imperial Complex, the morning after Jiraiya's visit.<p>

Naruto was in the training hall of the Imperial Complex. He was alone. A day had passed since Jiraiya's visit and Naruto had a lot on his mind. Which is why he was meditating in the dojo at six in the morning.

He had long since closed the book on Konoha. His life as a Konoha shinobi was long over. He was even more powerful than the Hokage, and both him and Hinata were seen as heroes to the people of the Unified West. And yet, half of him wants to protect Konoha, while the other half wants to see it fall. The proverbial angel and devil were on his shoulders.

"A ryo for you thoughts?"

Naruto opened his eyes. Kneeling in front of him, in his robes of state, was the Sandame himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Sarutobi-sensei," Naruto whispered.

"You seemed troubled," the old man said.

"You can say that," Naruto replied. "But I got to know. You knew that my father was the Yellow Flash, yet you kept that from me. Why?"

Hiruzen sighed. "I suppose you have every right to be mad at me, Naruto. But I did it to protect you. Had Iwa found out that their most-hated enemy had a son, then you would be in danger. So I had you take on your mother's last name in order to throw them off."

"I guess that's understandable," Naruto said, his rising anger dissipating. "Dad was pretty infamous during the last Shinobi War."

"And now you're trying to avoid a fourth Shinobi War by decapitating the head of the snake," Hiruzen said. "You may not be Hokage, but you are a true leader. The people here look up to you and see you as something that Konoha has failed to do – as a hero. And sometimes being a leader means you have to make the most difficult of choices."

"And here, I thought paperwork was bad," Naruto sniped.

"That's what the Shadow Clones are for," Hiruzen said as he lit his pipe. "I wish I had figured that out sooner. You may hate Konoha, but you are still divided over what to do."

Naruto nodded. "I can just as easily do nothing, and let Orochimaru raze the Leaf to the ground and kill everyone...or rescue the clans and grant them asylum. Shikamaru told me why the clans betrayed me and voted for the banishment. All because of Danzou."

The elder Sarutobi sighed. "In some cases, I agree with you. The corruption within Konoha is far too deep. Minato had planned on reforming the civilian council and to strip it of its power, but those plans had died with him when the Nine-Tails attacked. You once asked me what was the Will of Fire. Remember what I told you?"

"That it was the life philosophy of Granny Tsunade's grandfather, Hashirama Senju, the Shodaime Hokage," Naruto replied. "The Will of Fire states that every ninja, from the lowliest of Genin to even the most experienced Jounin must believe, cherish and fight for the village's sake, just as their predecessors had done before them. The Will of Fire gives the ninja the strength to fight against overwhelming odds, while at the same time builds willpower and strength of character. It also symbolizes the hopes and dreams of the previous generation being passed on to the next."

"Whether you believe me or not, you are the very essence of what the Shodaime had fought for," the old man pointed out. "Even when you were banished, you never lost your way. The Will of Fire is all but diminished in Konoha, but it lives here. It lives in the people that you have united. It lives in your wife. And it lives in you. Minato and Kushinna would have been proud of you, had they lived."

Naruto smiled. "Thanks, Old Man. I know what to do now. I know that what I am doing is the right choice."

* * *

><p>Naruto opened his eyes. He was still in the training hall, but this time around, he was alone. 'A vision?' he wondered as he rose from his kneeling position.<p>

From the look of things, he had been inside the training hall for an hour. That and his knees were sore. Hinata and Kitami would be awake soon and today was an important day.

* * *

><p>Hall of Sovereigns, Imperial Capital<p>

Naruto Namikaze sat at the head of the table. Hinata Namikaze sat at his left, while A was on his right. Kitami sat next to Hinata The gathered council members sat at their usual positions, only with a slight difference.

Seated on the left side, was the Suna representative, Temari. Sister to the Kazekage Gaara and Kankurou, she was chosen by Gaara to act as Suna's representative while in the West. The Suna Consulate was located several blocks away from the Imperial Palace and was guarded by a garrison of Suna ninja. On the right side, was the adopted brother of the Mizukage, Takeshi Terumi. Takeshi was a former ninja who was forced to retire due to injury. The Mist Consulate was located on the same block as the Suna consulate, and guarded by a garrison of Mist ninja as well.

As part of the alliance with both Mist and Suna, the Imperial Empire also had two consulates set up in both villages, the Imperial representatives were hand-picked by the Emperor himself. So far, none in the East knew about the secret alliance between the three of them.

Aside from the Imperial Council, Naruto had requested that the Jinchuuriki - save for Gaara, who was still in Suna - should be present for this meeting. Standing before the Emperor and the Imperial Council were the six Jinchuuriki which Naruto had rescued. First up was Yugito Nii, container to the Two-Tailed Monster Cat, formerly of Kumo, and commander of the elite all-female fighting force known as the Hellcat Unit. Because of Naruto's actions years earlier, she was his biggest supporter, as well as having fought alongside him during the Unification Wars. Her base of operations was in the Imperial Capital.

Next to Yugito, was Roshi, former Iwa ninja and container to the Four-Tailed Monkey, and his partner, the brooding Han, also from Iwa and the container to the Five-Tailed Dolphin Horse. Imagine their shock that the young Emperor who had saved them from a gruesome fate was the son of Iwa's most hated enemy. But once Naruto had told them his story of how he came to be the Emperor, the older men could easily sympathize with his plight.

And given the choice of trusting the son of the Yellow Flash or facing certain death at the hands of the Akatsuki, the two ex-Iwa ninja chose the former. After all, the old saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend does ring true. While Han made his home in the Lahja Mountains (he serves as a guardian for one of the mountain towns there), Roshi was the leader of a shinobi village in the Southern Region, training and practicing his arts.

Next to Han were Utakata, former missing-ninja from Mist and jinchuuriki to the Six-Tailed Slug, and Fu, formerly of Waterfall and the container to the Seven-Tailed Horned Beetle. While Fu worked with the Empire's spy network, Utakata had decided on a more peaceful life, training his student, Hotatu. Utakata had fought Naruto once when he was younger, but even he owed the Emperor his life for saving him from the Akatsuki. Fu, on the other hand, was the only member of the Jinchuuriki to seek the Emperor out, having enough of her hellish life back in Waterfall. She found him in Suna, where he was a guest of Gaara while Suna hosted the Chuunin Exams, and requested that he take her with him. Naruto agreed.

Last, was A's brother, Killer Bee, the jinchuuriki to the Eight-Tailed Giant Ox. While A served on as Naruto's senior adviser, Bee was assigned to look after the trading town of Rara, located at the base of the Lahja Mountains. Like his brother, Bee owed Naruto big time for saving both their lives.

Following Jiraya's visit the previous day, Naruto had convened an emergency meeting of the council and of the jinchuuriki, nicknamed the Imperial Six. Unlike the East, the Jinchuuriki were seen as genuine heroes, protectors of the people, something that was foreign to Han and Fu, given their past experiences back home. But they warmed up to their new status of protector instead of pariah.

For the past year and a half, Naruto and Hinata had came up with a plan to neutralize both Konoha and Orochimaru without destabilizing the East. Using Hinata's original plan as the base, Naruto and Hinata had added on to it. The spy network inside Earth and Wind Country were quite useful in gaining information in regards to the movements of Kumo and Iwa's shinobi forces.

Orochimaru did not step foot out of Oto, leaving his right-hand man to act as proxy. Apparently, the snake was occupied with burning Konoha to the ground once and for all, and dismissed the Pekara Merchants as a threat, allowing them to conduct their business in peace. That would prove to be his fatal flaw.

It was shortly after their first wedding anniversary that word came from the Pekara Branch in Earth Country. A new Tsuchikage was in power, and he too was a puppet ruler, Orochimaru pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Fu herself had verified the reports and passed them on to both Roshi and Han. The two jinchuuriki had respected Onoki a great deal and were outright furious upon hearing of his assassination.

With the death of Onoki, Roshi and Han's last known link to Iwa was destroyed.

The plan was then revised when it became clear that Orochimaru had two powerful shinobi nations under his control. The way to stability became clear for Naruto and Hinata: sabotage the fragile alliance between Orochimaru and the two villages. If Orochimaru was killed in the ensuing crossfire, it would be a bonus.

Naruto brought meeting to order. "Council members...Representatives Subaku and Terumi...fellow Jinchuuriki...I thank you for coming on such short notice."

"So what's the problem, Sire?" Lady Aihara asked.

"Yeah, Chief," Eiji Kibagami said. "You got all of us up here cooling our heels." That earned him an elbow to the side from the Chiba clan head.

"An old...acquaintance of mine has passed on grave news. There is war brewing in the Elemental Countries, a three-on-one attack on Konoha. The reports I've received from Kumo and Iwa have all but verified it."

"Konoha?" Lady Aihara parroted. "The same place that has banished you? If anything, you should just let the place burn for the slights against you. Even a blind man can see that you are not the Nine-Tails reborn. Otherwise, you would have long since destroyed that place."

The other members nodded at her statement.

"Believe me when I say that the thought crossed my mind," Naruto replied mildly, "but my source told me that I owe my life to the Fire Lord, as he was the one who stopped the Konoha Council from placing me into the Bingo Book, as well as sending hunter ninja after me. That I already know, since the Fire Lord told me himself, but he remained silent as to who was the one who kept me out of the book. No, my main concern is our allies in Suna and Mist. They may be dragged into this war against Kumo, Oto and Iwa."

"But my brother is not allied to Konoha," Temari pointed out. "Not after what they had done to you. Why would Oto, Kumo and Iwa attack Suna?"

"You of all people know that the snake is petty, and will not let grudges go," Hinata explained. "That and since Suna despises Orochimaru for killing your father, Orochimaru may try and destroy Suna before it can ally itself with Konoha."

Temari knew exactly what he was talking about. "You think that the hebi would attack Suna before moving on to Konoha as payback for botching the invasion eight years ago?"

"If I was him, I would," Naruto replied. "I'll send word to Gaara and tell him to be on his guard. The same with Terumi as well. If the snake attacks either one of them, then our consulates will be in danger."

"Excuse me, Sire, but who is this snake you are talking about?" Ryuji Shinzen asked.

Naruto replied by creating a shadow clone in the middle of the room and placing it under a henge to make it look like Orochimaru. "This is the person who is spearheading the invasion: The Snake Sage, Orochimaru. One of the three Legendary Sages, the others being the Toad Sage, Jiraya and the Slug Sage - and current Godaime Hokage - Tsunade Senju. All three trained under my mentor, the late Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, but Orochimaru held the most promise. He was also the most corrupt of the three. Sarutobi found out that Orochimaru was conducting illegal experiments involving the Cursed Seal, as well as trying to find the secrets to immortality. Orochimaru escaped, and after a brief stint as part of the Akatsuki, seized control of Oto and Rice Field Country, changing the name to Sound."

The Emperor paused for a moment. "This...man killed Sarutobi during the chuunin exams eight years ago. Every three years, he needs a new body in order to live forever. With the snake, it's always personal for him. He may have either Iwa or Kumo attack Suna and Mist to knock them out of the war before moving on to Konoha."

"The snake has a plan," Bee said. "Forget destroying Konoha. He wants to rule the Eastern land."

"That could be a possibility," Han said, stroking his chin in deep thought. "He could also subjugate the smaller villages like Rain or Waterfall to his side. Given the fact that most of us are either shunned or have death sentences on our heads, Orochimaru can also see us as a threat."

"You're thinking about going to war, aren't you?" Sonshi asked.

"Not to save Konoha," Naruto replied. "I was thinking of something a bit more subtle. As you already know, I have a prior agreement with Tsunade Senju, as she is not only my godmother, but also the granddaughter of my great-grandmother, Mito Uzumaki. I will not save Konoha. I will cripple it by other means, while at the same time, eliminate the threat of Oto without raising a sword."

"Iwa and Kumo may have puppet kages that answer to Orochimaru, but the alliance is still a weak one at best," Hinata continued. "The Cloud and the Stone have always been bitter rivals, but are only united in their hatred towards the Leaf. Our original plan was to in fact unleash Kitami upon Konoha to finish what she had started, but after what we had learned in regards to my husband's banishment, we decided on a second course of action."

"Which is...?" Lady Aihara prodded.

"'Operation Susanoo's Wrath,'" Naruto replied. "In the Pekara Branch of both Earth and Lightning Country are two sleeper cells consisting of members from Zabuza's Demon Brigade and Yugito's Hellcat Unit. On my command, the cells will attack both Iwa and Kumo in a sneak attack designed to eliminate the senior members of Iwa and Kumo without eliminating the kages themselves."

It was a protocol which Naruto and Hinata had been planning on ever since the Suna-Akatsuki War. They knew that Orochimaru was a threat to the region and both had planned accordingly. Using the spy network in the East, they had gotten detailed accounts of Iwa and Kumo's shinobi forces.

"It's a brilliant stroke of genius, if I may say so myself," Yugito added with pride in her voice. "The cell in Earth Country will be disguised as Kumo ninja and the cell in Lightning will be disguised as Iwa ninja."

Kibagami put the dots together. "And when the shit hits the fan, one side will blame the other, and Orochimaru can't hold the alliance together if the two villages end up fighting each other," he guffawed. "And you hope that Oto would be either wiped out and Orochimaru killed, or crippled to the point that he would never be a serious threat." He cackled. "You were always a sneaky little shit, Chief. Glad to see you haven't lost your touch."

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment," Naruto replied, used to the older samurai's foul-mouthed tendencies. This, coming from the same guy that came up with a thoughtful, albeit crude description about his wife's demeanor: "The only thing bigger than her tits is her heart."

That comment earned him a whack on the head by Kasumi Aihara.

"What about Konoha?" Haruka Shinzen asked.

"I've been in contact with the Fire Damiyo and he agrees with me. The village is beyond hope, beyond saving," Naruto replied. "As per our agreement with Senju, I will allow the shinobi clans and any ninja that support the Godaime asylum within the Empire. Someone once said that no one is beyond redemption. I will put that to the test."

Hayate Okajima rubbed his chin. "And by allowing a sizable number of ninja to resettle here would all but cripple Konoha's ninja forces overall. Maybe to the point that they would no longer be recognized as a hidden village." He smiled. "Boss, have I ever told you I like how you think?"

"Actually, the idea of offering the Konoha ninja asylum was her idea," Naruto said, gesturing to Hinata. "I can't take credit for something my wife has done." He pulled out a second report. "One of General Kazuma's men stationed at the Pekara Merchant House in the Fire Capital had sent this to me. Orochimaru has sent in an envoy to Konoha to negotiate terms of surrender to Konoha, led by his right-hand man, Kabuto Yakushi."

"Now would be a good time to strike," Sonshi suggested. "While the envoy is away, you should give the order."

"There's no need to," Naruto replied. "I gave the order yesterday. Operation Susanoo's Wrath will be executed as per to our orders come midnight, when the Unification Festival concludes. The spy network has gotten the routines of both Iwa and Kumo down to a tee. After all, no one will ever suspect the Empire of pulling off such a feat."

"Is there any other business?" Kitami asked.

There was none.

"We will see all of you at the Unification Ball," Hinata said. "You are dismissed."

The council and the Jinchuuriki piled out of the room. Naruto and Hinata remained behind, the former thinking about his encounter with Jiraiya.

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Hall of Sovereigns, the previous day..._

_If anyone was present, they would have seen the Emperor of the Western Empire on the floor, laughing his ass off at the fact that Jiraya was one second away from having a heart attack for being in the same room as the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Hinata, in the meantime, looked amused at her husband's antics, as well as the fact that the Toad Sage was about to have a coronary._

_"You...the Nine-Tails?" Jiraya managed to get out. "How...how did you get out of the seal?"_

_"Easy. The kit here broke it," Kitami replied, giving the man a fanged grin. She then turned to Naruto, who had finally gotten himself under control. Good thing that the room had a soundproof seal, otherwise anyone who had entered would have been greeted with the sight of the Western Emperor laughing his head off. "You okay there, kid?"_

_"You...you almost made Pervy Sage shit his pants," Naruto cackled._

_"Naruto...you know that this the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, right?" Jiraya said cautiously. "The same Nine-Tails that turned Konoha into its personal stomping grounds? The one your old man sealed inside of you?"_

_"Of course I know," Naruto replied, rising to his feet. He dusted himself off and took his seat. "And for the record, the tailed beasts are not demons, as most people would think. As one would think, Kitami is the post powerful of the bijuu. She, along with several others, helped me in my quest of unifying the continent. The people here know about my past in Konoha and do not treat me like a monster."_

_"What do you know about Madara Uchiha?" Kitami asked the older man._

_"Madara Uchiha?" Jiraya repeated. "The same Madara who had fought Tsunade's grandfather for the position of Hokage? I thought he was dead."_

_Kitami shook her head. "Hardly," she replied mildly. "At least until two years ago. Madara was the leader of the Akatsuki." A sadistic smile crept across her face. "That is until I tore out his heart and destroyed his eyes. It was because of his hatred that Madara had brainwashed me into attacking Konoha in an attempt to destroy it. Prior to that, Kushinna Uzumaki was the jinchuuriki."_

_Seeing as how Jiraya was paling visibly at Kitami's sadism, Naruto gave Jiraya the entire story, with Hinata and Kitami putting in their two cents. _

_Naruto told Jiraiya about the first jinchuuriki to the Ten-Tailed Beast, the Six Paths Sage, and of Naruto's connection to the Senju, to how upon his death, he split the power of the Ten-Tails into the nine jinchuuriki and left the Ten-Tails' body on the moon. Kitami continued where Naruto had left off, about how the Akatsuki were hunting down the jinchuuriki and Madara's Eye of the Moon plan and it was Nauto who had reached out to his fellow jinchuuriki, offering them protection and asylum from the Akatsuki (save for Gaara, who was the Kazakage), which led to the Akatsuki's full scale invasion of Suna. While Kitami was credited with killing Madara, Naruto was the one who had killed Itachi Uchiha, Saskue's older brother and had decimated Nagato, while Hinata had killed Deidara. Half of Suna was left in ruins, but in the end, all of the members of Akatsuki were wiped out._

_Jiraiya was impressed. Very impressed. 'Minato...if you had seen what your son has done...' he thought wistfully. 'He is truly a leader.' He then decided to get back on subject. "Naruto, about Konoha..."_

"_My answer still stands, Jiraiya. I will not aid Konoha, nor will I outright destroy it...but I will not give Orochimaru the pleasure of destroying it either," Naruto replied. _

"_But you just said..."_

"_I know what I said. You didn't let me finish. I will not let Orochimaru destroy Konoha. I will simply cripple it instead."_

"_But...why? What would Tsunade say if she knew about this?"_

_Naruto smiled. "Tsunade supports the idea, as does the Fire Lord."_

_Jiraiya blinked. "Huh?"_

"_Only three other people know that I am the Emperor, aside from you. The Fire Lord, Granny Tsunade and Shikamaru."_

"_The slacker? How did they find out?"_

_And Naruto told him. How they stumbled upon Naruto's identity in the wake of the failed Akatsuki Invasion of Suna. How no one would suspect Shikamaru as Naruto's inside man. And of how Danzou, Koharu, Honmura, Asana and Hiashi had orchestrated Naruto's banishment through bribery and blackmail._

_That pretty much made Jiraiya very angry. Naruto had never seen the super-perv angry. But Jiraiya looked pissed enough to summon Gambunta and the rest of the toads and raze Konoha himself. _

"_And just how do you plan on dealing with Konoha and Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked. _

"_By turning Iwa and Kumo against one another and fracturing Orochimaru's alliance," Hinata replied. "If they end up killing Orochimaru, then that's a bonus. Second, we allow the shinobi clans and any chuunin or jounin that support Tsunade asylum into the West, therefore crippling Konoha's shinobi force."_

"_And the Fire Lord?"_

"_As it turns out, the Fire Lord has been making some plans of his own. He sees that Konoha is not worth saving. Once the exodus is complete, he will notify the Leaf that he will strip them of their remaining financial aid and strip them of their hidden village status. The Fire Lord has been secretly constructing a new hidden village near the capital for the past five years and is actively recruiting shinobi and civilian alike, mostly refugees and mercenary ninja looking for a new home. This time, he is making sure that the civilians do not get themselves involved in Shinobi matters."_

"_And Konoha does not know about this?"_

"_They will soon find out...after the Fire Lord notifies them of the change," Hinata said. "The corruption in Konoha is too deep. This is the only way it can be stopped; by stripping it of its so-called honor and allowing a new breed of ninja to defend Fire Country. Clans hand-picked personally by the Fire Lord himself."_

"_Mist refugees with bloodlines, ninja from defunct villages, mercenary ninja and even samurai looking for a permanent home, the like," Naruto said. "As long as they swear loyalty to the Fire Lord and follow the law, they can stay."_

"_I knew things were bad..." Jiraiya shook his head. "Do you have a timetable for when Tsunade will arrive with the others?"_

"_I told her to wait three days after I dealt with Orochimaru and his alliance, then resign the seat of Hokage," Naruto replied. "By that time, I will be ready to get the clans out of Fire Country. The Fire Damiyo's given us a fourteen-day window for the clans and ninja to make it to Wave Country, more than enough time."_

"_What about Kabuto?" Jiraiya asked. _

"_Same as Orochimaru. He's also a credible threat," Naruto replied. "Sooner or later, he will have to be dealt with. But first, we must cut off the head of the snake. My informants in the East has notified me that Kabuto is on his way to Konoha to deliver Orochimaru's ultimatum. By that time, the two sleeper cells in Earth and Lightning will strike."_

"_And you made sure that no one will suspect the Empire?" Jiraiya asked, concerned with the risk that the Emperor and his wife were taking. _

"_Positive," Naruto replied. "The sleeper cells are Special Jounin-level ninja, whose specialties are Genjutsu, Earth and Lightning jutsu. All are veterans of the Unification Wars and they have been briefed on their mission." He smiled meanly. "They can and will wipe the floor with Danzou and his ROOT ANBU."_

"_That tough, huh?"_

_Hinata nodded. "Very. By the time of the Unification Festival, Orochimaru will no longer be a threat...and soon, Konoha will fall."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p>Jiraiya had left Kimon City to prepare, leaving Naruto and Hinata to oversee the final preparations for Susanoo's Wrath. Once everything was in place, the order was given, Hinata using a fox summon to deliver the classified messages to the sleeper cells in Earth and Lightning.<p>

Now, all they had to do was wait.

Most of the day went by with Naruto and Hinata going through their paperwork for the rest of the morning, followed by lunch in the town. The Unified West were in the final preparations of the Unification Festival.

* * *

><p>On a boat, en route to the Western Empire...<p>

The Konoha team led by Captain Kakashi Hatake and Captain Kurenai Sarutobi traveled for three days, crossing the bridge into Wave Country. There, while in Wave, Kakashi received a cold reception from Tazuma and his family when Kakashi greeted them. Tazuma refused to allow them to enter his home, slamming the door in Kakashi's face. Come to think of it, the people of Wave Town were cold to them, as they were the first to drop their trade agreement with Konoha once their debt for the mission was paid.

Dejected, but not deterred, Kakashi and the others bordered a Pekara merchant vessel heading for the West. After a brief layover in Tea Country, where the crew picked up supplies and tourists for the trip home, they were on their way to the west. It would be four more days before they would reach the Imperial Capital.

The Konoha team only knew about the Emperor from either secondhand knowledge or from when Tsunade had ordered them to bring him in for questioning. He was a skilled fighter, as most of the ninja who had fought him could attest to that fact. And given that there were branches of the Pekara Merchant Houses in most of the villages (save for Konoha, but rather at the Fire Capital), the Emperor was very savvy when it came to business agreements.

They had been out on missions before, but never this one of such great importance. No one in their group has ventured out of the Elemental Countries and into the West, and for good reason. But now, things had changed, as they were on a mission of great importance. Of course, sneaking in was a bad idea, but Kakashi took nothing to chance.

The Imperial Capital loomed in the distance. The sun was starting to set as Kakashi and the others gazed in awe over the thriving port.

"Attention! We will be docking in thirty minutes," the first mate shouted as he moved along the deck. "Upon docking, you will be asked to produce identification, so have your ID cards out and ready. Anyone who does not comply will be taken to jail for the night, and you will be sent back East the following morning. Let's not get arrested tonight people, it looks very bad on my record."

Kakashi Hatake was on deck, standing at the ship's bow, watching as the port drew ever more closer. He was already in disguise, dressed as a tourist. He was unmasked, his hitai-ate gone, the Sharingan eye covered with a headband.

"The others are getting prepared," Kurenai said as she approached Kakashi from behind. Like Kakashi, she was also dressed incognito. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, while she used a genjutsu to change her eye color from red to brown.

"I never told anyone this, but I screwed up big time," Kakashi confessed. "Being in the ANBU is a lot easier than taking on a squad of Genin. Obito and Minato-sensei would be ashamed as to how my team ended up."

"So what caused this change?" Kurenai asked, curious.

"After we had left from Suna. Sasuke and Anko were both right. I **am** an asshole," Kakashi admitted. "After returning back to Konoha, I had time to think...about Naruto. And to tell you the truth, we did abandon him. I guess it took more than enough time to realize that I royally screwed up by focusing solely on Sasuke instead of the entire team. I just hope that we do see him again, if only to apologize for how I treated him...how we threw him away."

The copycat ninja sighed. "At least your team came out somewhat okay. Hinata's stronger from what I have heard about her encounters with her former clan, despite being labeled a missing-nin. Kiba's on his way to becoming a Special Jounin, and Shino's expertise in recon and medicine is the best I've ever seen. And look at my team...Sakura's a certified sociopath, Sasuke hasn't spoken to me ever since the Suna-Akatsuki War, and Naruto was banished for doing his job."

"Can't say that I've haven't gotten out of this unscathed," Kurenai said. "You were there when Konohamaru abandoned the village for Suna. Asuma took it pretty hard. In his mind, he sees this as failing Konohamaru's parents and the Sandaime." She looked out at the approaching port. "If you ask my personal opinion about this, Konoha has fallen from grace for what they had done to Uzumaki. That kid was a hero, not the fox reborn. He didn't deserve to get screwed over the way he did. If he is here in the Empire...maybe we can see him again...to apologize for what we had done."

From below deck, Ino, Kiba, Shino and Shikamaru emerged. Unlike the elder Jounin, the younger ninja simply removed their Jounin flak vests and hitai-ates and used several sealing scrolls to hide them.

"Everyone ready?" Kurenai asked.

The younger ninja nodded, while Akamaru barked.

The boat made its way into port. Once the boat was secured and the crew began to remove their cargo, the passengers disembarked. Walking up the harbor, they reached the gates that would allow them to enter into Kimon. However, as with Konoha, there were guards at the gates. One was immediately identified as a ninja, given by his flak vest, while the other was a samurai. The ninja was older than his counterpart, and the two men were chatting each other as Kakashi and the others approached.

The ninja saw them coming. "Caravan, citizen, pilgrim, tourist or...?"

Kakashi did the talking. "We're tourists from the East. We heard from some of our friends who had visited here before that the West is a pretty nice place for a vacation, and since our boss has given us some time off, we decided to come and visit, check out the sights."

The ninja chuckled. "Well, you guys came at the right time. You guys showed up during the week-long Unification Festival. We're celebrating the unification of the Northern and Southern Regions of the Unified West. As for attractions, we got a couple in the North. If you like to gamble, there's North Lahja Town about 70 miles from here. The Lahja Mountains also has a nice hot springs resort. Then there's the Dragon Temple and Gardens in the city, and the Imperial Palace. In the Southern Region, if you plan on staying that long, we hold an annual martial arts tournament in South Ichiyama. And there's the Tears' Point Memorial."

"What's the Emperor like?" Kurenai asked.

"For someone so young, he rules with great wisdom and patience," the samurai replied. "He is skilled in the samurai arts as well as in the arts of ninjitsu. Aside from being a skilled fighter and master tactician, he is also a brilliant politician, charismatic and at the same time, cunning like a fox. We have been blessed to have such rulers, both the Emperor and his wife, the Empress Consort."

"The Emperor is married?" Shino asked.

"Yes. They've been married for two years now. His wife was originally from the East as well," the samurai replied. "A former heiress who was forsaken by her clan. She's nicknamed 'The Lady of War,' given how she is a trained ninja who fought alongside The Emperor during the Suna-Akatsuki War. Beautiful, but deadly."

"Then there's the Prime Minister," the ninja replied. "She's been with him ever since the Unification War – a redheaded woman with green eyes. She also trained the Empress Consort in the six months before their wedding. Both the Emperor and Empress Consort trust her with their lives. The Prime Minister herself is a skilled fighter and answers directly to the Emperor and Empress."

"Can anyone gain an audience with the Emperor?" Ino asked.

"You can try, but not going to happen," the samurai said. "But he does come down to the city for the festival. One thing about the Emperor is that he may be the ruler of the Unified West, that doesn't stop him from having a good time with the common folk. But enough talk, can I see some identification before I can let you pass?"

Kakashi and the others handed their ID to the ninja. The ninja took down their names and handed them back to them. Upon asking for a map of Kimon City, the samurai produced one and handed it to Kurenai.

"Welcome to the Unified West, and enjoy your stay," the ninja said cheerfully.

Once Kakashi and the others were gone, the samurai went to perform another identification check on another visitor. The ninja, on the other hand, turned to a figure that was hiding in the shadows.

General Kazuma, of the Shadow Company.

The ninja – himself a member of the Shadow Company – excused himself and walked over to Kazuma. "Report," the commander ordered calmly.

"Sir, six Konoha ninja posing as tourists has just entered the city," the ninja replied. He had worked at the Imperial Consulate in Fire Country and had recognized the ninja instantly, as the spy network in Fire Country kept detailed files on Konoha's finest.

Kazuma nodded. "Good work. I will inform the Emperor and his consort. Return to your post."

The ninja bowed and returned to his duties, while Kazuma sank into the shadows.

* * *

><p>Imperial Complex, Hall of Sovereigns.<p>

Hinata Namikaze was on her way to the visitors' room, where her husband was already entertaining Yukie Fujikaze. The reason why she was running late was because she had a sparring session with a clone that had lasted a bit longer than expected. After a quick shower, Hinata was clad in a fresh indigo-colored ninja uniform (think Ayane's C1 from Dead or Alive 4), and was walking down the corridor.

"Lady Hinata."

Hinata stopped and turned around. Kazuma rose from the shadows. "General Kazuma," Hinata greeted with a nod of her head. "What is it?"

"There is a squad of Konoha ninja posing as tourists in the city," Kazuma replied.

Hinata's eyes went wide. "Konoha ninja? Here in the capital?"

Kazuma nodded. "It has been confirmed by one of my ninja at the harbor. Seven in total, all Jounin-level ninja." He then gave the Empress Consort detailed descriptions on the ninjas' appearances.

Hinata nodded. "I will notify my husband of this matter. Thank you, Kazuma."

Kazuma bowed and decided to remain on standby for further orders.

* * *

><p>Inside the visitors' room...<p>

"So the Toad Sage decided to drop by for a visit?" Koyuki Kazahana asked as she sipped on her glass of Western red wine. The Spring Damiyo, known by her screen name Yukie Fujikaze, was a frequent visitor to the Imperial Complex whenever she had time away from running Spring Country and working as an actress. "I sure hope you didn't try and kill him, Naruto."

"The thought crossed my mind," Naruto replied mildly as he sipped on his own wine. "But he's still alive."

"That's good to hear," Yukie replied. "I would hate to see him die, after he convinced me to star in his Icha Icha movie."

Naruto looked at the older woman as if she had grew a second head. "Jiraiya did what?"

"He convinced me to take the lead role for Icha Icha Paradise: The Movie," Yukie repeated. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

"You have no idea, do you?"

"What? That Jiraiya is some kind of pervert?"

"No," Naruto replied. Once Yukie calmed down, Naruto dropped the hammer. "He is a super-pervert. His favorite hobbies include peeping inside the womens' baths and checking out the hot springs. My personal nickname to him was Pervy Sage."

Yukie raised an eyebrow. "You're joking, right?"

"I wish I was," Naruto replied.

"So...you and Hinata have been married for two years, and yet, you have no kids."

Naruto sputtered on his wine. "Yukie! That's personal!"

The Spring Damiyo grinned. "Just remember. I call dibs on being the child's godmother."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto grumbled just as Hinata entered the room. Almost immediately, Naruto caught the look on her face. "'Nata? What's wrong?"

"Kazuma reports that a six-man squad of Jounin ninja from Konoha has entered the capital," Hinata said.

**CRUNCH.**

Yukie winced as she saw Naruto crush the wineglass in his hand, spilling wine all over his pants and onto the floor. Then she gasped. "Konoha ninja? Here?"

"Who are they?" Naruto demanded.

"Kurenai Sarutobi, Kakashi Hatake, Kiba Inuzuka, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka and Shino Aburame. Oh, and Akamaru," the former Hyuuga reported.

In an instant, Naruto summoned Kazuma. The Shadow Company commander entered the room. "Yes, Chief?"

"Who is in Kimon City at the moment?"

"General Nii and a squad of her Hellcats are present, as is General Momichi," Kazuma replied.

"Inform them of the situation and have them to escort the Konoha ninja here," Naruto ordered.

Kazuma bowed. "Right away, Chief."

Kazuma quickly departed from the room. Then Naruto looked at the shattered glass in his hand. "Ow."

* * *

><p>The Imperial Capital was bustling with activity. Not even Konoha had a such a thriving night life, not even during the Kyuubi Festival. As the two port guards had explained, it was the tail end of the week-long Unification Festival. As the team from Konoha took in the sights, they saw that this place wasn't as much different from Konoha, from the shops to the manner of dress. Even the money was the same. The only difference was that there were patrols of samurai and ninja in the streets. Squads of two, sometimes three. They even identified ninjas by the same style of flak vests.<p>

"You hardly even see samurai back in the East," Ino noted.

Kakashi nodded. "The last Shinobi War wiped out most of them. What's left are now in Iron Country. Same thing could happen here. But from what I can tell, even our most seasoned Jounin and ANBU units would have a hard time eliminating these samurai. If the Imperial Forces are capable of destroying the Akatsuki, then they would be invaluable to Konoha as allies."

Kurenai nodded as well. "I can sense their chakra. Very strong indeed."

Akamaru, in the meantime, was whining softly. The large dog did not like the crowded streets. Kiba patted the dog on his back. "Don't worry, boy. The crowd is thinning out," he said, reassuring the dog.

"So what's the plan?" Kurenai asked as Kakashi looked at the map.

"We find a hotel for the night," Kakashi explained. "Then we head for the Imperial Palace and see if we can gain an audience with the Emperor."

Kurenai nodded. Then she felt her senses going haywire. Kakashi sensed it as well. Rapid movement, both from the rooftops and on the ground, coming in fast. Five kunoichi, armed with steel ninjato and kunais and clad in the standard ninja uniform with khaki flak vests, similar in design of the same type of vests that Konoha uses, landed and surrounded the Konoha ninja, who quickly got into a defensive stance. As the civlians backed away, five onna-bugeisha - female samurai - rushed in, katanas drawn. Like their ninja counterparts, they also wore the flak vests which identified them as the Hellcats, the all-female fighting force under the command of Yugito Nii.

"Stay where you are!" one of the Hellcats shouted, ready for anything.

Kiba growled and was preparing to fight his way out, when Ino stopped him. "Kiba, no. Fighting will only make things worse," she warned. "We're here for an alliance, not to make war."

Kiba understood, and backed down.

Two of the ninja parted, allowing the Commander of the Hellcats to step through. Blond hair, brown eyes, mean expression. There was no hitai-ate identifying her, as she needed none. She was dressed like the others, save that her flak vest was solid black. The two women who had parted for their commander closed ranks again.

Kurenai recognized the woman almost immediately. "Yugito Nii, of Kumogakure no Sato. Jinchuuriki to the Two-Tails. Looks like the Emperor is friends with Kumo."

Yugito nodded. "And you are Kurenai Yuuhi. My reputation proceeds me. I am honored. However, you are mistaken. I no longer serve the Cloud. My loyalty is with the Emperor. Make one wrong move, Konoha Ninja, and my Hellcats will rip you to shreds."

At that declaration, the captured ninjas' eyes went wide. Not because of Yugito's threat, but they knew that they were from Konoha, and that they were caught.

It was then, Kakashi received a second shock.

The copycat ninja felt something sharp on his neck. Looking down, his eye widened as he recognized the blade.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Copycat Hatake. Looks like the boss was right. This is my lucky day."

Kakashi's eye went wide. The owner of the blade was none other than Zabuza Momichi, former Mist swordsman, thought to have been dead back in Wave, was alive...and had Kakashi at sword-point.

"Zabuza...you're alive," Kakashi muttered. "How..."

"For a ninja who tells others to look underneath the meanings, you sure are dense," Zabuza said. "Let's just say that I knew that runt Gato was going to betray Haku and me, so I had a little insurance policy in the form of a blood clone." He grinned maniacally. "You and I have some unfinished business, Hatake."

Before Yugito could reprimand her bloodthirsty comrade, a third party made their appearance. Emerging from the ground by way of the gathered shadows, was the General of Shadow Company, Hideo Kazuma.

At that moment, the villagers knew that if the head of the Shadow Company was involved, then usually, it meant bad news for the offending party.

"It's a member of the Shadow Company...the eyes and ears of the Emperor...here, in this town...what are they doing here..."

At that moment, a wave of demonic killer intent washed over the warriors present, both Imperial and from Konoha. For the ninja of the Leaf - especially to Kakashi and Kurenai - it felt awfully familiar. With a roar, the Nine-Tailed Fox made its grand entrance in a geyser of flame, standing next to the Seeker. Instead of her normal size, the most powerful of the beasts was around Akamaru's size, if not bigger.

Most surprising, was the fact that the townspeople did not run away screaming in terror at the sight of the Nine-Tails.

The Hellcats stood at attention and bowed, as did Yugito and Zabuza. "Kyuubi-sama," Yugito greeted. "The ninja from Konoha have been apprehended, as per the Emperor's orders."

The massive fox nodded. "**Good work.**" Then the Nine-Tails turned to the petrified Leaf ninja. "**Just like you Konoha scum,**" the Nine-Tails sneered. "**You have a very bad habit of coming into places where you are not wanted.**"

Kiba was the first to get back his voice. "Oh yeah? What's it to you demon? Or would you rather be called Naruto?"

"Now you done it," Zabuza muttered as he inched to the side. Even he knew better than to raise the ire of the vixen, as he had learned the hard way. As the townspeople wondered that the idiot was saying Kitami quickly reacted. One massive tail lashed forward, catching the dog ninja by the throat and lifting him into the air.

"Kiba!" Kurenai shouted helplessly as she watched her former pupil being hanged from the air.

Then the Konoha ninja watched as the Nine-Tails transformed from a demonic-looking fox to a shapely woman with long red hair tied into a single braid, and clad in a crimson ninja uniform with black trim (ala Dead or Alive's Kasumi), and sandals. A black fox's head was on the back of the uniform. Her eyes were still red, as the tails snaked around her form.

"This is the only time I will tell you this, you little mutt, so pay attention," Kitami snarled. "The kit and I are not one and the same. We are completely separate entities. Just like you people to get the jailer mixed up with the prisoner," she concluded as she slammed Kiba to the ground, the dog lover bouncing on the hard street once upon impact.

From the sidelines, Zabuza winced. "That's gotta hurt."

As Ino rushed to heal the bruised Kiba, Kitami willed the tails away, her eyes shifting from a demonic red to emerald green. Despite this, Kitami still had an angry look to her face. "Under any other circumstances, I would kill you where you stand. However...the Emperor and Empress Consort wants all of you alive and in one piece when I bring you to them. Any resistance from any one of you...and I'll let Zabuza have his fun."

The Konoha envoy gulped. Despite it being the wrong reasons, they had gained an audience with the Emperor and his wife. The only problem was whether or not they would survive the encounter.

Kitami turned to Kazuma. "Inform the Emperor and Empress Consort that we will arrive with the Konoha ninja momentarily."

Once Kazuma was gone, Yugito had her Hellcats escort the captured ninja to the Imperial Complex. On the way, the Konoha ninja passed the Suna and Mist Consulates, of which were easily identified by the ninja guarding the compounds, as well as the flags of their respective villages that were flying from the entrance.

Following the pathway out of the city, the group reached the Imperial Complex, the nerve center of the Unified West. Beautiful, yet intimidating. The guards bowed to Kitami, to which she replied with a single nod. Turning towards the House of Sovereigns, the Nine-Tails led the prisoners and their guards there.

It didn't take too long for the group to reach their destination. Beyond the wooden double doors was the throne room. The doors themselves were guarded by a samurai guard, who bowed their heads in respect to the bijuu queen.

"The Emperor and Empress Consort will arrive shortly, Lady Akashiya," one of the samurai said.

Kitami nodded and turned around. "Zabuza, Yugito, you are no longer needed. The rest of you Hellcats remain here." Once Yugito and Zabuza disappeared, Kitami turned to the Konoha ninja. "Watch what you say around the Emperor and his wife," she warned, of which was directed to Kiba and Ino.

The throne room's guards opened the doors and the Konoha ninja were ushered inside. Kitami walked up the steps and stood beside and behind the throne on the left.

At the far end of the throne room, the doors opened and in stepped the most powerful couple in the Western Empire. His clothes stained with the wine from earlier, Naruto had changed into his black vest, pants and boots. He wore no shirt underneath, which showed off his muscular arms. The black kage-style hat was on his head. Only this time, there was no mask to conceal his face.

Hinata was at his side, looking at the gathered ninja with genuine disgust. The Konoha ninja were in shock, especially Kurenai, Shino and Kiba. Hinata was the wife to the most powerful man in the Empire, the Akatsuki Killer himself!

Husband and wife sat down on their thrones.

"Even after eight years, the Leaf continues to mock us by sending you here," Naruto said, his voice hard enough to cut steel. He looked at the prisoners that stood before him and Hinata. "Kakashi Hatake...Kurenai Sarutobi...Shino Aburame...Ino Yamanaka...Kiba Inuzuka...and Shikamaru Nara. Two Special Jounin and four members of the Konoha Eleven." He turned to his wife. "Or should the number be...six. Isn't this the little reunion between old friends, Hime. And here I thought they would be happy to see us."

Now Kakashi was puzzled. "Us? What do you mean by us?"

Naruto raised one hand to his hat and removed it from his head, allowing the article to fall to the ground. "So slow to catch on, Hatake."

Kurenai's eyes widened in total shock, as did Kakashi. For a moment, the elder Jounin thought that they were looking at Minato Namikaze himself. "Min...Minato-sensei..." Kakashi whispered.

Naruto shook his head. "I am not my father. I am the one Konoha had thrown away." He looked at Kakashi. "Remember what you said to me the day I was banished following the retrieval of the Uchiha? I most certainly do, as you told me off in front of the Konoha 11. 'You are worse than trash. You are scum.'"

The reaction was instant. Even Akamaru was shocked. And at that moment, they knew. The dead-last, the Demon of Konoha, Kakashi's former student which he had all but written off as worthless and abandoned him in the aftermath of the Uchiha Retrieval Mission was the Emperor of the Unified West. The same person who had taken down the majority of the Konoha Eleven, as well as several high-ranking Jounin, and earned the nickname Akatsuki Killer for his actions which had brought about their destruction in the Suna-Akatsuki War.

The hair was reddish and the whiskers were gone, but there was no mistaking his identity.

"No...freakin' way," Kiba whispered.

"It...can't...be..." Ino gasped.

"..." Shino was silent, but despite everything, he was in the same state as his comrades. His former teammate, labeled as a S-class missing ninja was the wife of the banished Kyuubi jinchuuriki.

"Naruto..." Kakashi whispered. Then his eye widened in horror as he came to a realization. 'Oh, my God. Sensei...your son...what have I done?'

"The one and only," Naruto replied. "I am the Emperor of the Unified West, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze."

"And I am the Empress Consort, Hinata Namikaze," Hinata finished.

Only one thought was going through the Konoha team's minds – save for Shikamaru. 'Oh, shit."


	11. 4 Revelations

**Chapter Four: Revelations**

Snafu's Notes: After this chapter, I'll be out on vacation with the family. The reason why this story has been updated at such a pace was that the first few chapters had already been written. This is the last pre-written chapter I have. The story will continue once I return.

_'Be extreme subtle, to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.'_

_'All warfare is based on deception.'_

Sun Tzu, **The Art of War.**

Imperial Complex, Hall of Sovereigns – Throne Room.

For the team sent by the Konoha Council, this **was not** what they were expecting.

The Emperor himself, the one who had decimated the Akatsuki in the Suna-Akatsuki War, as well as defeated the majority of the Konoha Eleven, several Elite Jounin and several clan heads was their former teammate, the dead last who once proclaimed that he would one day be Hokage, but was banished from the Leaf in the aftermath of the Uchiha Retrieval Mission.

And his wife...

The former heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, once deemed worthless because she did not meet the standards of her clan, forsaken by her father, now an S-class missing-ninja with a kill-on-sight order for her actions in crippling the Hyuuga clan head, was now the wife of the Emperor, herself being the most powerful woman on the continent, second only to her husband.

Both were written off as worthless, and yet, they were the Emperor and Empress Consort of the Unified West.

But that was not what scared the ninja present (save for Shikamaru). Those present who had went to Suna to aid Gaara in the Suna-Akatsuki War saw the carnage that was left in the aftermath of that short, but deadly war which led to the Akatsuki's destruction. Fifty thousand soldiers from the Imperial Defense Force, as well as six Jinchuuriki, and from the look of things, one freed Tailed Beast had saved Suna from destruction.

But that was just a fraction of what Naruto could muster, this Shikamaru knew. Naruto held plenty of ill will towards Konoha, but he was not Orochimaru. Naruto could have taken the 'jerkass route' and unleashed hell upon Konoha, the ensuing invasion would have made the Sand-Sound invasion look like a backyard brawl. But he didn't. Naruto had freed himself of his past, and made a new life for himself' leaving Konoha in the dust.

Seated on their thrones, Naruto and Hinata Namikaze looked down at the cowering Konoha ninja with contempt. Hinata kept her emotions under control, her face neutral, but her eyes showed anger. Naruto, on the other hand, was outright furious. Blue eyes scanned the gathered ninja set before him, at the the people who had dared to infiltrate his home. He knew the truth about his banishment, but that still didn't get the shinobi clans off the hook.

There was his former sensei, the aloof Kakashi Hatake. The last time he had seen him was back in Hot Water Country, along with Kiba Inuzuka and the Inuzuka Matriarch. Besides Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto hated his former sensei with a passion. In his eyes, Kakashi was a hypocrite, plain and simple. He once preached friendship, that 'those who broke the rules were trash, and those who abandoned their fellow ninja were worse than trash.' Then he went back on his saying, abandoning him to train Saskue. Kakashi was even the first to turn his back on him when the banishment order came down from the Konoha council calling Naruto scum. Sakumo Hatake would be rolling over in his grave if he had seen how his son had ended up.

Speaking of Kiba, he was standing next to Kakashi. The feral Inuzuka and his giant dog looked like they were about to piss on themselves. Always charging in headfirst without getting the entire story. Just like the rest of his family. Then again, growing up, Naruto was just the same. Like Kakashi, the Inuzuka clan was the first to turn their backs on him, including Hana. For that, the Inuzuka clan - Kiba included - were ranked high on Naruto's shit list. Which was why Naruto took great pleasure in beating down both Kiba and Tsume back in Hot Water Country.

Ino was just as bad as Sakura. Almost, anyway. Shikamaru had told him about Sakura's actions which led to her ninja registration being revoked, and Ino declared the official apprentice under Tsunade. At least she wasn't screaming for his head when the banishment orders came down. She had matured in the eight years following his banishment, even outgrowing her childish crush over the Uchiha, but Naruto still remembered that day that she chose to support his banishment.

Kurenai Yuuhi Sarutobi - the genjutsu mistress and captain of the now-disbanded Cell Eight - he had no problem with. Then again, he hardly knew her. But even Naruto knew that she would look down on him with disgust, as if he was the Nine-Tails reincarnated. Just as blind and pathetic as the rest. Hinata, however still respected her former sensei a great deal, and since she was of the Sarutobi clan by marriage to Asuma, decided to show a bit of leniency.

Shino Aburame was kind of difficult to read, but was just like the rest. Even during their days in the academy, the bug user would keep his distance, as if he was afraid.

Shikamaru was doing a pretty good job of acting shocked upon seeing him. After all, no one would suspect the slacker of the Konoha Eleven to act as an inside man for Naruto and Hinata. He would most definitely have words with the shadow user later.

Kitami, on the other hand, watched the Konoha ninja squirm from her place beside Naruto's throne. The Nine-Tails was grinning maniacally at the sight.

But first things first.

Kakashi was outright shocked at the newest revelation. Naruto was not the Nine-Tails reborn! He was the son of Minato Namikaze!

'Oh, God...Sensei...your son...' Kakashi thought, his mind going back to all those times that he had neglected Naruto's training in favor of Sasuke.

It was true as they say: The past always catches up with you.

Or in cruder terms: Karma's a bitch, and she's back in heat.

Kakashi slowly went down to one knee. Ino, Shino, Shikamaru, Kurenai, and Kiba followed suit. Even Akamaru bowed low, whining softly. Despite this revelation, they had a mission to complete. The gray-haired ninja knew that if there was a chance of his and Kurenai's former students assisting Konoha, then it would come at a heavy price.

'Minato-sensei...I am so...so sorry for what I have done to your son,' Kakashi thought.

"Your Imperial Majesty...Your Imperial Highness..." Kakashi began, swallowing audibly. "Accept our sincere apologies for our intrusion into your lands. But we have come seeking your council on a matter of great importance."

"Then speak quickly, Hatake," Hinata ordered, looking as every bit as the Empress Consort she was meant to be. Had Hinata and her father had been on better terms, he would have been proud of her.

"Konoha is facing certain destruction from Oto, Kumo and Iwa," Kakashi explained. "Konoha has no allies to come to her aid, and should we go to war, then Konoha will be destroyed. We have come as representatives of the Konoha High Council and the Godaime Hokage to ask for military aid. Were you to ally with the Leaf, not only do we stand a chance of surviving, but the war could end in a truce before it can begin. The council can pay any price you name. Please, Your Imperial Majesty...help the Leaf."

Naruto could hear the desperation in Kakashi's voice. But he was not moved. He knew that the Konoha Civilian Council only agreed to this just to save their own asses.

"Answer me this, Kakashi Hatake," Naruto rebuked as he rose from his throne and descended the steps, stopping in front of the man he despised. "What can my country gain in the long run, should I agree to assist Konoha? Please...answer me that, **Sensei**," he finished, his voice laced with venom as he spat out Kakashi's former title as it was bile.

If looks could kill, then Kakashi would have been a pile of ash. If Itachi was still alive, then Kakashi would rather deal with him instead of his former student.

Fortunately, Kurenai made the save.

"Sire, an alliance between the Leaf and your Imperial Empire would improve the ways of life between us. Also, the Fire Damiyo would be interested in an alliance between you and Fire Country."

'Nice try, Sensei,' Hinata thought. Unknown to the gathered ninja (Shikamaru included), the Unified West was in contact with the Fire Lord, as well as knowing of the Orochimaru's intentions to raze Konoha to the ground.

"Is that what you think, Kurenai Sarutobi?" Naruto drawled.

"Sire, I..."

This time, it was Hinata that had cut her former sensei off, addressing Kakashi. "Do you know what my husband and I see, **Captain** Hatake?" she sneered, her voice laced with venom as Naruto returned to his throne. "A group of ninja from a dead-end village, begging for salvation in the face of their destruction. A village who had chosen a potential traitor over a hero."

The ninja from Konoha winced. They knew that they were right.

Naruto continued the verbal assault. "I see a group of ninja who want me to waste not only my time, but also my resources and my military on an impending war which does not concern me in any shape, form or fashion. The same village that has abused me, spat upon me, and scorned me ever since I was born. The Yondaime - my father - wished the village to see me as a hero. Instead, you treated me like I was the fox reborn. The same village...that not only betrayed me, but banished me for doing my duty!"

At that, even Kitami winced from the anger that her former vessel was venting. Even she knew that the kid would not forgive Konoha for not only favoring the last Uchiha, but for banishing him, and that anger had festered and burned inside for so many years. Now it was being purged.

"Aside from the late Sandaime, my wife is one of the select few...one of the select few in that entire village who did not turn their backs on me. Aside from the both of them, I can count on my fingers the number of people who did not see me as the Nine-Tails incarnate. Sarutobi and his two friends...Teuchi and Ayame. They did not abandon me when my so-called 'friends' needed me the most. They saw me not as the jinchuuriki, but as a real person, unlike the rest of you. All of Konoha from the civilians to the clans left me at my most vulnerable point...but they remained loyal. Only five people out of the whole village who treated me like a human being!"

Naruto was silent for a moment, while the Konoha envoy lowered their heads in shame. They knew that he was right. He had given them his all - blood, sweat and tears - and was still looked down. It was at that moment, that Naruto passed judgment.

"Your request for aid is denied."

"No!" Ino shouted, rising to her feet. "Naruto! Hinata, please! Konoha is going to be destroyed! It's your home! You have to defend it!"

"Defend it from what? Civilians who think that they can interfere in shinobi matters?" Hinata shot back. "From people who celebrate the sacrifice the Yondaime made by trying to kill his legacy for something that was not even his fault? Or from certain shinobi clans who forsake their own children for their own political standing in the village? After what they had done to Naruto and after what my clan had done to me, Konoha had stopped being our home. This is our home now."

Tears were now in Ino's eyes. What Hinata had said was true. Hinata had all but forsaken by her clan, but Naruto had gotten the worst of the raw deal. Both were loyal Konoha shinobi, only to get hosed by the village.

Naruto continued after his wife. "The Unified West will not aid Konoha in your little war. This is a mess of your own creation. You should have destroyed Orochimaru when you had the chance. Take comfort that we will not destroy your village, despite the fact that you deserve it...but we will not save you from your own destruction either. However, you will be punished for your trespassing into our beloved home."

With a snap of his fingers, the ten Hellcats entered the throne room.

"Take them to the palace dungeons," Naruto ordered. "For your trespassing in my domain, you will stay there for the night. In the morning, you will be taken back to the port, where you will be sent back East."

"Make sure you place Captain Sarutobi and Jounin Nara in a separate cell from the others," Hinata added. "Just to make sure that they don't try anything rash."

As the Hellcats grabbed each of the Konoha ninja, Naruto turned to the Hellcats. "Get them out of of here."

Not one of the Konoha ninja offered any resistance as they were escorted out of the Throne Room. Not even Akamaru. Once they were gone, Naruto slumped into his throne. Despite having planned for an encounter with the former Konoha ninja, it still took a lot out of him.

Yukie, having watched the encounter from the side door, entered the throne room. "Naruto, are you okay?" the Spring Damiyo asked, concerned for her friend.

Naruto sighed. "Honestly...I don't know if I should play the unsung hero or the idiot. Hinata and I had planned on something like this...but seeing them after all this time..."

"I know," Hinata replied, gently grasping her husband's hand. "It was hard for me too."

"Are you still considering helping the Leaf?" Yukie asked.

Naruto shook his head. "No. Our decision is final on the matter. Hinata and I will grant the Konoha clans and the ninja who support Tsunade asylum, crippling its Shinobi forces, while the Fire Lord will finish the job."

Yukie nodded. Naruto and Hinata had told her the circumstances regarding Naruto's banishment, and she fully supported the royal couple's plans in crippling Konoha.

"Kitami, send for Shikamaru Nara and Kurenai Sarutobi after Naruto calms down," Hinata ordered. "And incapacitate the others so that they do not know."

"I can use a genjutsu to make them fall asleep," Kitami suggested. "That way no one will none the wiser."

Naruto nodded. "See to it."

* * *

><p>Imperial Dungeons – hours later.<p>

Dark, dank and dreary. That's what the Imperial dungeons looked like. It was used mostly by Rokubungi Oda as a torture chamber. Now, it was used to house prisoners facing execution for capital offenses, such as treason (mostly from remnants of Rokunbungi Oda's forces) or those who tried to assassinate the Emperor and Empress Consort.

In short, Zabuza, who also served as the Empire's Chief Executioner, had plenty to do. So long as there were those who opposed the Emperor's rule, he would use his oversized sword to deliver swift justice to those tho threaten his boss and his wife.

Hours had passed since the Emperor and Empress Consort's judgment, and the Konoha ninja were forced to face facts. The Emperor was not only the son of Konoha's Yellow Flash, but he had flat out refused to help in the inevitable war which will ultimately lead to Konoha's destruction, and that the Empress Consort was the former Hyuuga Heiress. No one spoke, since none could get over Naruto's cold words which were spoken to them.

_'The Unified West will not aid Konoha in your little war. This is a mess of your own creation. You should have destroyed Orochimaru when you had the chance. Take comfort that we will not destroy your village, despite the fact that you deserve it...but we will not save you from your own destruction either.'_

It also gave the Konoha prisoners time to reflect on their mistakes.

In one cell, was Shikamaru and Kurenai. Next to them were Ino, Shino, Kakashi Kiba and Akamaru. Down the corridor, one of the prisoners was screaming bloody murder, cursing the Emperor for killing Oda and stealing his land.

In the first cell, Ino was hugging her knees. Kiba was punching the wall, muttering "Stupid, stupid, stupid," to himself with each punch. Shino was slumped against the wall opposite Ino, Akamaru was on the ground, whining softly. Kakashi was pacing the cell, berating himself over his actions as sensei of Cell Seven. In the second cell, Shikamaru simply sat on the cot, arms folded while Kurenai was brooding.

"Troublesome, Kurenai-sensei," Shikamaru muttered. "Very troublesome."

Kurenai smiled sadly. "Hinata always had a soft spot for Naruto. Leave it to him to stick to Hiashi. Even during the Chuunin Exams in Suna, he supported her, especially during her fight with Neji. Despite everything, I'm proud of her. Naruto had succeeded where Hiashi had failed; he broke her out of her shell and saw her worth."

'You have no idea, Sensei,' Shikamaru said, remembering that Hinata had fought alongside Naruto in the Suna-Akatsuki War.

"Then again, Naruto has once again proven to be the most unpredictable ninja," Kurenai finished. She wondered what would be the Hyuuga Clan's reactions once they found out that Hinata was the most powerful woman in the Unified West.

She snorted. 'Emperor's Whore. If Hiashi was on better terms with Hinata, he would have been jumping for joy that Hinata is married to the most powerful man on the continent.'

From the cell next door, Kakashi had heard Kurenai's comment. "I'm so stupid. Why didn't see this sooner? He was Minato's son," he lamented. "Why didn't anyone tell us?"

"I think both Sarutobi and Jiraiya knew," Kurenai said, speaking of her deceased father-in-law and the missing Toad Sage. In the back of her mind, she wondered whether or not Asuma knew. She would have words with her husband once they returned to Konoha.

"If everyone found out that Naruto was the son of the village hero, then the roles would have been reversed," Shino said. "He would have been the village prince, rather than Sasuke. It's the most logical conclusion that in Konoha, the name that people will respect is Namikaze. Naruto would have been pampered, while Sasuke, despite having the Sharingan, would have nothing. Maybe it's better this way."

"And it's our fault that he ended up this way," Ino sniffed. "We all thought that he was the Nine-Tails reborn. We drove him away because of our fear."

Kakashi sighed as he sat down on the cot. "I underestimated him. I always tell them to look underneath the hidden meanings, yet I did not take my own advice. He unified the West in such a short time and brought about a peace not seen since the time of the Six Paths. Out of everyone here, he probably hates me the most."

Kurenai smiled sadly. "I know. And the people love him. He would have made a great Hokage if the council hadn't screwed him over."

"From what I've heard, he has the Nine-Tails and the remaining Jinchuuriki under his command," Shino pointed. "The people and his soldiers are ready to die for both him and Hinata."

Ino nodded. "Loyalty. Something that we all lacked. We favored Sasuke and banished a hero."

Kiba, having finished venting out his frustrations, slumped down next to Ino, who began to work on his bloodied hands. "Tell me about it. We all fucked up big time by kissing the Uchiha's ass." The memory of his encounter with the Nine-Tails was still fresh in his mind. "Naruto never quit. Even when we fought in the Chuunin Exams, he never did quit. Even when Orochimaru screwed up his chakra, he never gave up. He fought on." He remembered the three-on-one confrontation with the Emperor in Hot Water Country. "I think it's safe to say that he has surpassed all of us. Some friend I was."

* * *

><p>Outside in the dungeon's corridors, General Kazuma and Kitami appeared. Masking their chakra so that they could not be identified, they stood before the cell containing the four Konoha ninja and one massive dog. Kitami went through several handsigns while whispering, "Kitsune Style: Gentle Sleep."<p>

Within seconds, Kakashi, Ino, Kiba, Shino and Akamaru were out like a light. Once they made sure that they were asleep, Kitami turned to Kazuma. "Bring the slacker and Sarutobi to the visitor's room," she said before departing.

"Yes, Lady Akashiya," Kazuma replied. Motioning to the jailer, he ordered him to open the cell containing Kurenai and Shikamaru."

* * *

><p>The turning of the lock made both Kurenai and Shikamaru jump. Then the door opened and Kazuma was standing in the doorway.<p>

"Shikamaru Nara and Kurenai Sarutobi?" Kazuma asked.

"Yes?" Kurenai replied while Shikamaru nodded.

"Come with me. The Emperor and Empress Consort will see the both of you now."

"Wait, what about Captain Hatake and the others?" Kurenai asked.

Kazuma shook his head. "Sorry. Only you two. Please come with me."

* * *

><p>Hall of Sovereigns – Visitors' Room.<p>

Kurenai and Shikamaru were escorted to the visitor's room inside the Hall of Sovereigns by Kazuma and were told to wait. After Kazuma left via the shadows, Naruto and Hinata had made their appearance.

"How you been, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked as he approached the lazy Nara.

"Good, despite everything. You?" Shikamaru replied, just as Kurenai's eyes went wide as the realization had struck her.

"Same," Naruto replied as the two men shook hands.

Kurenai was on Shikamaru in an instant. "You KNEW? You knew that Naruto and Hinata were the Emperor and Empress?" she shouted. "Why didn't you tell Asuma? Or your teammates?"

"He did, as does Granny Tsunade," Naruto replied. "They both found out shortly after the Akatsuki were destroyed in Suna. As why Shikamaru did not tell them, both Granny and myself asked him not to. Ino's a gossip and word would have reached Danzou and the others. I wanted your reactions to be genuine and honest."

Kurenai looked like she was on the receiving end of the Thousand Years of Pain. But she quickly gathered her wits. "It was you who had taken Hinata during the Suna Chuunin Exams?" she asked Naruto.

The Emperor nodded. "It was me. I also freed her from that damned seal."

"You definitely succeeded on that," Kurenai replied. "Hiashi was very upset when he found out that you removed the Caged Bird Seal off of Hinata." She turned to her former student. "Look at you. Empress Consort to the Emperor. Congratulations, Hinata. I always had faith in you."

Hinata smiled. "Thanks, Sensei."

The red-eyed woman smiled back. Then she looked at the ring on Hinata's finger. "Married?"

The former Hyuuga nodded. "Two years."

"One of the conditions I set for her was to become a better ninja. Kitami and I trained her. I wanted an Empress who can carry herself on the battlefield, rather than some spoiled, pampered wives of the Damiyos back East."

"Too bad Hiashi didn't see it that way," Kurenai said, remembering how Hinata had crippled her former father back in Wave Country. She then turned to Naruto. "How long was Shikamaru was your inside man?"

"Since the Suna-Akatsuki War," Naruto replied. "My spy network back East was the one who passed on news of Orochimaru's planned attack on Konoha to Shikamaru, who in turn told Granny. After all, no one would suspect the slacker of being an informant."

"So you already know about the invasion," Kurenai said.

Naruto nodded. "And my answer still stands, Sarutobi. I will not help Konoha."

"But...why?"

And Naruto told her. About the conspiracy which ultimately led to his exile, as well as the conspirators responsible. Shikamaru, who had told Naruto and Hinata the plot in the first place, had all but confirmed it. Kurenai did not know whether or not that extended to Hitomi, but knowing Danzou, it probably did, as she was part of the Sarutobi clan by marriage. She may be a Konoha Jounin, but her loyalty was to her daughter over all.

"So let me get this straight. Asana Haruno bribed the civilian side of the council to vote for the banishment, while Danzou threatened the shinobi clan heads to vote for the banishment or else their children would be turned into living weapons for his ROOT?" Kurenai surmised.

Shikamaru nodded. "In a nutshell, yeah."

"Now you see why Hinata and I refuse to aid Konoha," Naruto said. "But I still have a grudge with Orochimaru, as he was the one who killed Old Man Sarutobi. Which is why Hinata and I have decided on a course of action that will destroy Orochimaru's war machine, and at the same time, cripple Konoha."

"By the time you and the others return to Konoha, we will have executed Susanoo's Wrath," Hinata continued. After giving Kurenai a brief explanation of the plan, she turned to Shikamaru. "By that time, Iwa and Kumo will try and kill each other, while at the same time, Orochimaru will be caught in the crossfire. By destroying his fragile alliances with the Cloud and the Stone, Orochimaru can't invade Konoha."

"That's where you come in, Shikamaru," Naruto said. "Once it's known that Orochimaru won't be able to attack Konoha, you will tell Tsunade to resign her post as Hokage. More than likely, it will come down to either Hiashi or Danzou who will become the Rokudaime Hokage. By that time, I will have notified the Fire Lord and he will pass judgment on Konoha."

"And that is...?" Kurenai prodded.

"Half of the shinobi support Tsunade, including the clan heads, save for the Hyuuga, as well as a sizable number of Chuunin and Jounin," Hinata said. "The second half of Susanoo's Wrath is a mass evacuation, or exodus, if you will, of the major clans and shinobi. They will head to Wave Country, where they will be evacuated here."

"But half of Konoha's ninja force support Tsunade," Kurenai replied. Then it dawned on her. "By allowing the clans and more than half of the Chuunin and Jounin asylum, Konoha's shinobi forces will be irreversibly crippled. Combined that with the egos of Haruno, Koharu, Honmura, Danzou and Hiashi, Konoha will self-destruct."

Naruto nodded. "Correct."

"What about Hatake?" Kurenai asked.

Naruto's mood darkened. "I have lost all respect for him. Made the beatdown I gave to him even sweeter. He favored Sasuke, even after I brought his prized student back, not taking notice of the Chidori wound in my chest. What my dad saw in him I will never know."

"But still...this puts a new light in why you were banished," Kurenai said.

"I know what you're going to say, Sensei," Hinata cut in. "But we can't expose Danzou. The corruption in Konoha is too deep. After Minato's death, the Council has taken too much power, leaving the post of Hokage as a figurehead."

"But is there no other way?" Kurenai asked.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "The other option is that I personally decimate the shinobi forces inside Konoha and let Kitami raze the place to the ground. I chose the lesser evil. The idea of offering the clan heads asylum, that was Hinata's idea."

Kurenai gulped. Given how Naruto had unified the countries, beaten down the majority of Konoha's elite and decimated the Akatsuki, he could just as easily back his threat up. Sighing, Kurenai nodded. "I...I understand."

"Kurenai, I must ask that you do not reveal what we have said to anyone," Naruto said. "If Danzou or anyone here finds out what I have planned, then the game is up. You and the others can tell them that I am the Emperor and Hinata is my wife. But other than that, I will not aid Konoha." He stood up, Hinata followed suit. "This meeting is now over. You have your orders, Shikamaru. Make sure Tsunade knows her part once you return to Konoha."

Shikamaru nodded, just as Kazuma emerged from the shadows.

"Take them back to their cells," Naruto ordered.

The Shadow Company commander nodded and did his duty.

* * *

><p>Morning came over the Imperial Capital.<p>

The five Konoha jounin and one massive dog were released from their overnight imprisonment. Upon seeing daylight, they saw Kitami waiting for them.

The Nine-Tails/prime minister was direct and to the point. "The Emperor has ordered that all of you will board the first boat at port and will be sent back East." She retrieved a scroll and handed it to one of the Hellcats. "These are your orders. Class S assignment from General Nii, and the Emperor and Empress Consort. You and your squad will accompany the Konoha ninja back East, then return here. I will accompany you to the harbor."

The Nine-Tails gave a fanged, feral grin which sent chills down the spines of the Konoha ninja. Not even Tsume Inuzuka or Anko Mitarashi was this scary.

"Let's go. First boat leaves in less than a hour," Kitami said.

Kakashi nodded reluctantly and without any resistance, the Hellcats and their 'escort' walked out of the dungeons.

* * *

><p>Imperial Palace.<p>

Watching from the bedroom window, Naruto watched as Kitami led the Konoha ninja out of the complex. Hinata soon joined him.

"Now, it's up to Tsunade and the Fire Lord," Naruto mused.

"This is a very dangerous game we're playing, Love," Hinata replied. "Very dangerous."

The blond Emperor nodded. "I know." He looked at his watch. "Come midnight, Susanoo's Wrath will be executed."

"You seem pretty confident in Zabuza and Yugito's cells," Hinata noted. "Are you sure that they will succeed?"

"I worked and fought with them for a long time. I have faith in them. They don't know the meaning of the word fail." That said, Naruto turned and walked back inside. Hinata stayed outside, watching the Konoha ninja until they were out of view.

* * *

><p>Inside the Pekara Merchant Houses in both Earth and Lightning Countries, two sleeper cells of Zabuza Momichi's Demon Brigade and Yugito Nii's Hellcat Unit began to make the final preparations for the mission given to them by the Emperor and Empress Consort.<p>

It was an SS-class mission of the utmost importance. Naruto had personally selected the men and women involved for their specialties in Lightning Jutsu, Earth Jutsu and Genjutsu. Inside the Earth Pekara Branch, the sleeper cell donned ninja uniforms identifying them as Kumo and Oto ninja, while in Lightning Pekara Branch, the cell there were dressed as Iwa and Oto ninja.

Their mission: prevent Konoha's destruction by causing the alliance between Orochimaru, Iwa and Kumo to fracture. They understood that it could well be a suicide mission, but that was only if they failed.

And one thing about the Hellcat Unit and the Demon Brigade, was they they never failed.

Come midnight, Operation Susanoo's Wrath was a go.

* * *

><p>As the Unification Festival reached its climax, ninja in both Kumo and Iwa began do die. In Kumo, it was ninja wearing the uniforms of both Sound and Stone, while in Iwa it was Lightning and Sound. While Naruto and Hinata mingled with the more prominent clans inside the Imperial Palace and later, with the civilians down in Kimon City, Susanoo's Wrath was underway.<p>

The ninja in both Kumo and Iwa did not know what had hit them, as the sleeper cells targeted the high-ranking Jounin and Chuunin. The Genjutsu specialists captured several of the strongest ninjas from both sides, brainwashed them into fighting their own comrades, ultimately leading to the attempted assassination attempts on the Tsuchikage and Raikage respectively.

By dawn the next morning, Kumo and Iwa would be at war. Not with Konoha, but with each other and Oto. Meanwhile the two sleeper cells had silently retreated back to their respective Pekara Merchant Houses, and destroyed the evidence of their participation in the operation.

There would be no explanation as why both sides had attacked the other. Orochimaru's explanations would fall on deaf ears as the next battleground would be Rice and Oto itself. Not even Orochimaru could stop the inevitable invasion from two villages.

* * *

><p>Imperial Complex, Office of the Emperor and Empress – two days after the Unification Festival.<p>

The scrolls were delivered earlier that day. Both were from the Pekara Branches in Lightning and Earth. Upon opening them, Naruto read them and his expression went from unreadable to that of satisfaction.

Hinata had caught the expression when she entered the office. "What is it?" she asked.

Naruto said nothing as he handed her the scrolls from Earth and Lightning Countries. Soon, her expression mirrored that of her husband's own once she had verified that the scroll was genuine, as only Pekara employees used only those scrolls.

Written in both scrolls were the words: **Operation Susanoo's Wrath – success. Oto fighting two-front battle between Iwa and Kumo.**

* * *

><p>Konoha, six days later.<p>

On the way back to Konoha, Kakashi and the others had plenty of time to get the backstory on Naruto from one of the Hellcats, who was a veteran of the Unification Wars. Following his banishment, he had met up with Yugito Nii, who like Naruto, had been screwed over by the Kumo Council. After fleeing to Kimon City, the pair had made a name for themselves by assassinating Rokunbungi Oda and securing Kimon, before launching into his war of unification.

One year to conquer the Northern Region, and another year to conquer the Southern Region. Shortly afterward, he was named Emperor of the Unified West. Once he became Emperor, Naruto showed that he was a capable ruler as well as a skilled warrior. Given the fact that Yukie had filmed most of her movies in the West, it was safe to say that Naruto had made a trade alliance with Spring.

And the alliance with Suna, given how Naruto had came to the aid of Gaara when the Akatsuki invaded. Not to mention how he was able beat down most of Konoha's finest. They couldn't pin it on the fox this time around. He had gone from dead-last to the most powerful man on the continent.

Hearing about Naruto's exploits in the war and as Emperor had crushed what little remained of the Konoha ninja's morale. They were not looking forward to returning to Konoha to give their report to Tsunade and the council.

The trip by boat took five days. And another day by foot to reach the Leaf. After greeting the guards at the gate, Ino and Shino returned to their respective homes, leaving Kurenai, Kakashi, Kiba and Shikamaru to make their report to the Hokage and the council.

* * *

><p>Konoha Council Chambers.<p>

The council was immediately convened upon Tsunade's request. Both Ino and Shino were still absent, as they had a lot to think about the past couple of days, leaving Shikamaru, Kakashi, Kurenai and Kiba at the mercy of the Konoha Council.

The returning envoy stood before Tsunade and her advisers, the shinobi and the civilian council members were filed on either side of the council chambers. All were anticipating the news of whether or not the Western Empire would come to their aid.

"Well?" Koharu prodded. "Did you gain an audience with the Emperor? What did he have to say?"

Kurenai and Kakashi exchanged glances. Then Kakashi began to speak. "As ordered by the Godaime Hokage," he began, his voice cracking, "we infiltrated the Western Empire. However, we were captured and brought before the Emperor. This also coincides with a secondary mission given to both Captain Sarutobi and myself: find Naruto Uzumaki and see if he would return to the Leaf."

At that moment, the council was in an uproar...until Tsunade called for silence.

"Why would you even consider allowing the demon to return to the Leaf?" Asana Haruno demanded. "We banished him eight years ago!"

"Indeed," Danzou seconded. "I for one am also concerned about this, Lady Hokage. Our decision was final in regards to the Kyuubi brat. Not even you can override the council's judgment."

"We are in an impeding state of war, Shimura," Tsunade shot back. "And since you and my...advisers like to flaunt the law, allow me to repay the favor. In the event of war, the Hokage of Konoha is automatically granted unlimited, emergency powers, thus even overriding the will of the Konoha Council for the sake of the village. As quoted in the Konoha Charter, the Hokage of Konoha's word is absolute, meaning that even banished ninja can safely return to Konoha and fight, in exchange for a pardon."

Danzou, Koharu and Honmura growled internally. They knew that Tsunade was right. But they wisely kept their mouths shut. Despite the power they wielded, they still were on thin ice with the Slug Sage with their orchestrating Naruto's banishment. One wrong move and they would not survive Tsunade's wrath.

"As if we needed the demon to return to this village," one civilian member said.

The shinobi half of the council knew better. Even they knew that the village was worse off because of Naruto. While the civilian council sang the praises of the Uchiha, Konoha had lost every single alliance and trade agreement it had gained. Even Jiraiya and his spy network, once invaluable to Konoha, was also gone. Most of the villages and nations said that unless the banishment was reversed, then they would do no business with Konoha. Even after eight years, the council was still blind to the fact that their village was better off when Naruto was still a member of its shinobi ranks.

But the shinobi council's hands were tied, as Danzou had threatened them not only to vote for the banishment of Uzumaki, but never to say a word, if they value the lives of their children.

"How does this coincides with the mission?" Asana asked. She the put two and two together. "Wait...are you saying that the demon is in the employ of the Emperor?"

Kurenai shook her head. "No. Naruto Uzumaki is not in the employ of the Emperor. He **is** the Emperor."

Silence reigned throughout the council hall. Hiashi and Hanabi both looked surprised. Even Sasuke listened on in interest. The same Naruto that was considered the dead last of the Rookie 11 was now the most powerful man on the Western Continent. The same man that had soundly beaten most of the high-ranking jounin.

It took a moment for Hiashi Hyuuga to connect the dots. "It was him. That damned demon took my daughter!"

"There's more," Kurenai continued, her tone smug as she turned to Hiashi. "We also came into contact with former Konoha chuunin Hinata Hyuuga."

"And you did nothing!" Hiashi sneered. "You know she is in the Bingo Book, Sarutobi. You always did have a bleeding heart for that disgrace."

"Of course I did nothing," Kurenai replied. "That 'disgrace,' as you call her, is Naruto's wife, making her the Empress Consort. Attacking her would in effect, bring upon the wrath of the Empire down on us all."

From her seat on the council, Tsunade mentally counted down. 'Five...four...three...two...one...and...'

As expected, bedlam ensued.

"We are saved!" a second civilian member shouted. "That Kyuubi brat will do anything to come back to Konoha! All we got to do is stroke his ego and tell him that he can come back! When the war is over, we can throw him out again."

This time, it was Kiba who spoke up. "No...you're wrong. We were all wrong."

"How so?" Tsume Inuzuka asked.

"Naruto and the Nine-Tails are completely separate entities," Kiba explained, remembering the team's confrontation with the humanized fox.

Kakashi nodded, confirming Kiba's testimony. "It's true." He then told the council of their encounter with the Nine-Tails, followed by their meeting with the former ninja-turned-Emperor.

As Danzou listened on, he was seething. Bitter irony that he once tried to make Naruto into a ultimate weapon for Konoha, but had failed when Hiruzen Sarutobi denied him the chance. In a twist of fate, Naruto had become a weapon, the ultimate weapon of the Unified West.

'That damned Kyuubi brat! I knew that banishing him was a bad idea!' the old warhawk ranted. 'He is even stronger than his father! Not even the Uchiha could beat him! And he's the Emperor of the West! That position should be mine! Such power would be useful in controlling all of the countries!'

Too bad that Naruto would more than likely have him and his ROOT executed should he try anything funny.

"If the boy is the Emperor, then we are saved!" one fat cat from the civilian side shouted, interrupting Kakashi.

That is until Kakashi dropped the bombshell.

"He has denied our pleas for assistance in the war with Oto, Iwa and Kumo," the copycat ninja deadpanned. "His hatred of the Leaf runs deep. We have betrayed him in his darkest hour...because we were blind to the facts...we all thought that he was the Kyuubi in human form. Minato would be turning over in his grave if he saw what this village has done to his child."

"Wait...are you saying..." Tsume began, her face going pale.

Tsunade spoke for him, her voice grim. "Yes. The council, in its ignorance, has banished the son of Minato Namikaze, and his wife, former Whirlpool ruler Kushinna Uzumaki-Namikaze...who in turn, is related to the my grandfather, Harashima Senju, and my granduncle, Tobirama Senju, the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokages...as well as myself. Yes, the Senju clan is related to the Uzumaki clan, formerly of Whirlpool. Noble blood runs through Naruto's veins."

The shinobi side of the council looked ill, while the civilian side erupted in shouts of denial.

"Impossible!"

"The boy can't be the sole survivor of the Namikaze clan!"

"It has to be another of the demon's tricks!"

"ENOUGH!" Tsunade shouted, silencing the civilian council. "This has gone on long enough. It is because of the influence of the civilian council that we banished the son of the village hero. This is a shinobi village, and civilians have no say in ninja matters. Therefore...I am dissolving the civilian council until further notice." Her voice rose over the objections. "If you do not like my decree, then maybe a visit to Ibiki and Anko will change your mind."

At that, the civilians effectively snapped their mouths shut. One thing for certain, the civilians were completely scared of the chief interrogator and his assistant. Silently, one by one, they walked out of the chambers.

Once the civilians were gone, another round of talks began.

"Surely there is something that we can offer the boy in exchange for his aid in this war," Honmura said, grasping for straws.

Shikaku shook his head. "What can we offer him? The position of Hokage? He is the Emperor of the West. A pardon and his name cleared? Or maybe an apology for how he was treated over the years? Or maybe a rank to Jounin? Not even that would interest him. If anything, from his exploits and his track record, he is stronger than the last four Hokages combined. If what Captain Sarutobi and Captain Hatake speak are indeed true, then we can forget about having the Yondaime's legacy helping us." He sighed. "Minato would be rolling over in his grave as to what we have done to his son."

"So what?" Chouza Akamichi butted in. "That leaves us with two choices. Either we give into their demands of handing over Sasuke Uchiha, the Hyuuga heiress, recognizing it as a major Shinobi nation and stepping down, and handing over the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing - the latter of which we do not have..."

"Or Konoha makes its last stand," Danzou deadpanned. "I must admit that banishing the boy was good for the Leaf at the time, but now, we face destruction."

'Destruction because of your own stupidity,' Tsunade thought crossly. Turning to Shikamaru, Kurenai, Kakashi and Kiba, she dismissed them and remained behind as the shinobi council continued to argue over what to do next.

No one noticed Sasuke Uchiha leave the room shortly after the Konoha envoy. Finally, Tsunade got tired of all the arguing and dismissed the clans for the day.

* * *

><p>Konoha – Market Square<p>

Shikamaru made his way to the Pekara Merchant Stand, where Makie Asashina and her fellow merchants were busy hawking their wares and exotic materials from the Unified West. The lazy Nara immediately identified Makie by her crimson flak vest and katana, and made his way over to her.

Makie saw him coming. Before leaving the Fire Capital, she had received word of the attack via a fox summon from Hinata. "Ah, Shikamaru," she greeted. Retrieving a package from underneath the stand, she handed it over to the pineapple-headed slacker. Leaning in, she whispered into his ear. To anyone else, it looked like she was flirting with him. But Shikamaru knew better.

"I bring word from the Unified West and from the Emperor," she whispered. "Susanoo's Wrath is a success. Tell your Hokage to begin the next phase of the plan once word reaches here that Orochimaru will not invade."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru replied, but rushed off back to the Hokage Tower.

* * *

><p>Training Ground No.3<p>

Sasuke found Kakashi at the old training grounds. The gray-haired Jounin stood near a post, lost in his thoughts. But he knew that the Uchiha was there. Sasuke remembered this spot as well, as this was the location of their bell test. The post was the same that Naruto had been tied to in his youth.

"I thought you might be here," Saskue said.

"..." Kakashi remained silent.

"So it's true? About the dobe being Emperor?" When Kakashi nodded, Sasuke continued on. "Hn...guess I can't actually call him dobe anymore. Given how he managed to unify the Western Continent, as well as beat down most of the Konoha jounin. Should have known that he had on a mask. Not that I blame him."

He walked over to the post and placed one hand on the wooden beam. A sardonic smile crept across the Uchiha's lips. "I remember the bell test you made us take after we made genin. Naruto was tied to this very post when we failed to get a bell off of you." He sighed. "All of this...this is my fault. If I hadn't tried to defect to Orochimaru, then none of this would have happened. Naruto should not have been banished for my crimes. If anything, I should have been the one walking out of that gate."

In the eight years following Naruto's banishment, Sasuke had changed for the better, surprisingly. Despite the fact that it had cost him the trust of the Shinobi clans of Konoha, Sasuke had trained harder than ever once he was fully recovered. It had taken Naruto's banishment to see that his obsession with vengeance had ultimately caused the destruction of Cell Seven. He had distanced himself from Kakashi and Sakura as a result, and hardly spoken to Sakura for the next several years.

Until three years ago, he received a marriage proposal from Asana Haruno. Since Sasuke needed to rebuild the Uchiha, she was offering Sakura's hand in marriage. Sasuke blanched at the proposal. He would rather spend time in the Forest of Death with the critters than to be married to the pink-haired banshee.

Speaking of which...

"IS IT TRUE? THAT DEMON IS THE EMPEROR OF THE WEST?"

Sasuke and Kakashi winced as Sakura Haruno stormed in their direction. The disgraced Chuunin was now being groomed to take over her mother's mercantile business, which had taken quite a hit with the rise of the Pekara Merchant Houses. Ever since having lost her shinobi status, Sakura had focused her attention into seducing Sasuke – with no success, and running the day-to-day operations of her family's business.

"It's true, all right," Kakashi confirmed. "Naruto is the Emperor of the West."

Sakura folded her arms across her chest. "It's a lie. You've probably been fooled, Hatake. You know as well as I do that Naruto can use Shadow Clones. There's a meeting at my mother's home. The civilian council which Tsunade had ejected are talking about sanctions against the Pekara Merchant House, as well as summoning Naruto back to face trial."

"There's a problem with that, Sakura," Sasuke pointed out. "Since the civilian council forgot, let me remind you. The Fire Lord himself personally intervened, saying that no one is to make a move against Uzumaki under any circumstances. Since he is the Emperor of the West, he is now protected by diplomatic immunity, as his Hinata. We attack anyone of them, and Orochimaru will be the least of our worries."

Sakura snorted. "As if that dead list can do anything. He loves Konoha too much to raise a sword against it."

Kakashi shook his head. "People do change when you haven't seen them in almost a decade. Naruto and the Nine-Tails are not one and the same. I should not have doubted Minato-sensei's sealing abilities. He sealed the Nine-Tails inside Naruto's body in order to save Konoha. The Nine-Tailed Fox is a woman. A very hot woman, despite the tails and demonic chakra."

"Whatever," Sakura replied. "Mom and the more prominent members of the civilian council are filing an injunction against Naruto, denouncing him and Hinata as traitors to the leaf, as well as denying him as the son of Minato Namikaze. The second injunction is aimed at Tea Country, demanding that they hand over the demon's wealth immediately, or else they will find themselves suffering from a trade embargo with the Leaf."

"Good luck with that," Kakashi snorted. "Tea Country's on friendly terms with the Unified West. So threatening them would be moot at best. You haven't seen what kind of damage that Naruto can do, Sakura. Sasuke and I have. We've seen the aftermath of the Akatsuki invasion, and given the fact that his army are battle-hardened samurai and ninja, they can easily overrun Konoha and destroy it."

Sakura snorted again and walked off.

* * *

><p>At a ninja-only bar and grill...<p>

Ino and Shino had just finished telling the other members of the Konoha 11 and several high-ranking Jounin the news. They did not take it very well. Most of them had assumed that Naruto and the Nine-Tails were one and the same. But after Ino had told them what had happened and with Shino backing her up, they knew that they screwed up big time.

What was even more shocking, as Neji had pointed out, was that Naruto had fought and beaten most of the Konoha 11, several elite Jounin and clan heads following the deaths of Hidan and Kazuku. On top of that, he was the architect behind the destruction of the Akatsuki, as well as retrieving the surviving Jinchuuriki and allowing them to live in the West.

"Well, shit," Anko Mitarashi said. "I always knew that kid wasn't the Nine-Tails. If he was, then Orochimaru would have long since been pissing on this town's ashes. If Iruka was still alive, he would have been proud of him."

"We have done a very unyouthful thing in condemning Naruto," Rock Lee lamented. "We all thought he was the fox reborn. But to have united the Western lands in such a short time and bring about peace to the war-torn lands..."

Maito Gai nodded. "Indeed, my youthful student. He has proven to have both the Will of Fire, as well as the flames of youth burn brightly in him."

"Can't believe we all fought him, and lost," Tenten said as she poked at her lunch, having lost her appetite. "Guess it shows that we all became complacent in our abilities. Looks like Naruto had never stopped training, since he could just as easily wipe out Konoha without missing a beat."

Neji Hyuuga had taken the news the hardest. "I'm such a fool. I always lived my life by Fate, given the fact that I was born into the cadet branch. Naruto proved it to me that one does not live by fate when we fought the first time, and I threw it back in his face when he was banished. What he told me when we fought again really had me thinking about my life, especially after Hinata had disappeared. There really is no such thing as Fate, only choice. And Konoha had chosen poorly in banishing the son of the village hero."

Chouji's eyes went wide. "You mean...?"

Neji nodded. "Yes. I overheard Hiashi and Hanabi talking with the Hyuuga council before I came here. Naruto is the son of Minato Namikaze...and husband to Hinata, making her the Empress Consort to him being the Emperor. The Hyuuga Council has declared that Hinata's marriage to Naruto is invalid and immediately nullified and are in the process of demanding that she returns to Konoha." He scoffed. "That will not happen. Hiashi has lost face to the point that he will risk the destruction of the Hyuuga just to get Hinata back."

Chouji slumped back in his seat. "And Naruto and Hinata have refused to help us. We're screwed. We are so screwed."

The others couldn't help but to agree.

* * *

><p>Office of the Hokage.<p>

"So Konoha has dodged a bullet? Orochimaru has his hands full with Iwa and Kumo?" Tsunade asked.

"Yeah, Asahina verified it. Susanoo's Wrath is a success," Shikamaru replied. "Once it's known in Konoha that Orochimaru will not attack, you will resign your post as Hokage. The Fire Lord will do the rest."

The Godaime nodded as she leaned back in her chair. "We'll have to work fast. More than likely, it will be Danzou who will be chosen for as Rokudaime. Are you sure that Orochimaru and Oto will not hinder the exodus when the time comes?"

"Naruto's spy network has been getting around-the-clock reports on the assault on Oto. Once the damage has been done, he will personally deal with the snake himself."

Tsunade nodded. "You're dismissed, Shikamaru."

The shadow user nodded and left the room. Tsunade almost felt bad for the snake. Key word being, almost. If Kumo and Iwa don't end up killing him, then Naruto would most definitely will, as he had to answer for killing their former master.

Tsunade took out a bottle of sake and poured herself a cup. Toasting the memory of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Slug Sage downed the warm liquid, and waited. Waited for the news of Orochimaru's impending demise.

Until then, she would sit back and watch as Konoha go nuts with the fact that the so-called Kyuubi brat was not only the Emperor of the West, but also the son of the Yondaime Hokage.


	12. 5 Exodus

**Chapter Five: Exodus**

Snafu's Notes: My little weekend holiday was relaxing. So here's the newest chapter. There's another twist in the story that you will not see coming.

Ruins of Otogakure, Sound Country – 72 hours after the battle.

Not even the Suna-Akatsuki War had matched what would later become the Oto-Iwa-Kumo Conflict in brutality and intensity. The war had engulfed all of the Land of Sound and parts of Lightning and Earth, threatening to even pour out into neighboring countries.

The three shinobi villages of Kumo, Iwa and Oto were all poised to destroy Konoha. But then, for all accounts and purposes, the triple alliance...**self-destructed**. Kumo and Iwa had both lost a sizable amount of ninja, and blamed the other and Oto. Naturally, Orochimaru had denied the claim, but neither side was listening.

Then all Hell had broken loose.

Orochimaru had found himself in the middle of a two-front war, a nightmare for any ninja, with Iwa in the west and Kumo in the east. The Snake Sage had came to a horrifying realization: there was no way out for him. He was severely out-manned, and not even his test subjects with the Cursed Seal or the revived Sound Four could stave off Stone and Lightning. Even Manda, his personal snake summon, would fall in the ensuing battle, having been brought down by Kumo and Iwa's own animal summons.

As for the Snake Sage himself, he would be severely weakened. Not by the loss of his Sound ninja force, but due to the fact that his current body was nearly burned out, and that even if he could transfer to another body, it would do no good.

Three days after the battle had begun, a cessation of hostilities was declared by the new Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi, the granddaughter of the late Onoki and an interim Raikage. Both sides had endured massive losses and both sides had came to the conclusion that it was all Orochimaru's fault. A shaky peace treaty was signed and Kumo and Iwa left the field of battle, leaving Oto and the Land of Sound a virtual wasteland.

It was then, that once Kumo and Iwa were back within their borders, the true mastermind of the Oto-Iwa-Kumo Conflict had revealed itself.

In the ruins of Otogakure no Sato, Orochimaru knew that he was dying. But the last thing he expected was the Kyuubi brat making the save for Konoha.

Too bad he forgot that said Kyuubi brat had a bone to pick with him regarding the murder of Hiruzen Sarutobi. Orochimaru had attacked Naruto, who disarmed him and used both his own katana and Orochimaru's signature weapon, Kusanagi, to lop off both of Orochimaru's arms before criscrossing the blades in a scissor pattern on Orochimaru's neck.

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_Ruins of Otogakure – 30 minutes earlier._

_A weakened Orochimaru was on his knees, glaring at the son of Minato Namikaze, who held both Kusanagi and his own sword at his neck. The Snake Sage knew that he would never get the chance to burn down Konoha. He would never see the Hokage Monument crumble and fall._

_He was finished._

"_Why?" Orochimaru demanded, defiant in his final moments. "Why defend a place which has shunned you? Forsaken you?"_

_Naruto smiled evilly. "Oh, don't worry, you old snake. I'm not doing this for Konoha. But I can't let you burn the place down. The honor of destroying Konoha is mine and mine alone."_

"_Then why kill me? We can destroy Konoha together! Spare my life, and I will be in your service!"_

_Naruto shook his head. "So you can try and take my body like you tried to do with the Uchiha? No thanks. I can do without backstabbers. I dealt with plenty of those during the Unification Wars. No, you are too much of a threat, Orochimaru. Besides, you have to answer for your own slights against me. You murdered the closest thing I had for a father figure in the Suna-Oto Invasion. Your former sensei, the Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Time to answer for your crimes."_

"_You'd kill me over that old fool? You should be thanking me! If it wasn't for my interest in Sasuke, you would still be stuck in that damned village! You would not have been forced to leave in order to become stronger! You are what you are now because of me! I...made...**you!**"_

"_Spare me your explanations. Your time is up, Orochimaru," Naruto replied as his grip tightened on the swords._

"_You can go to Hell, Namikaze!"_

"_After you." _

_With a move of his arms, Naruto Namikaze decapitated Orochimaru, and thus, avenged the death of his mentor. _

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p>Naruto Namikaze watched as the massive form of Kitami's Nine-Tails unleashed her Foxfire Stream upon the destroyed village, burning it to ashes. Gaara's Suna ninja would conduct the mop-up operations, using the information Naruto had received from Kabuto in regards to Orochimaru's hidden labs...right before ending his life as well.<p>

His katana was sheathed, while he held Kusanagi in his other hand, a specialized seal was on the handle, suppressing its power. Naruto will take Orochimaru's sword home as a trophy of war.

As Otogakure no Sato was engulfed in a sea of flames, Kitami reappeared, having reverted back to her human form. "It's done, kit," she said. "Otogakure is no more."

Naruto nodded. Konoha was safe...for the time being. Now, it was up to Tsunade and the Fire Lord. He had five ships on standby in Water Country, ready to move the clan heads and their families to the West. Now, it was time to return home.

* * *

><p>Konohagakure no Sato – one week after Otogakure's destruction.<p>

Konoha was breathing a sigh of relief. Orochimaru was dead, his Sound Ninja decimated, and the Land of Sound was destroyed. The civilians, full of themselves as always, claimed victory, saying that it was the Will of Fire which drove Orochimaru's alliance to self-destruct, and that they didn't need the 'Demon Emperor and his whore' to save their skins.

Oh, the lies we tell to make ourselves feel better.

It was after the celebrations had concluded, that Tsunade had summoned the council and dropped the bomb. She was resigning her position as Hokage.

"In these past several weeks, I have come to the realization that this village, once founded by my grandfather, has lost the Will of Fire. We have become complacent and arrogant in our abilities and in our dealing with people. It is because of this...I am stepping down as Godaime Hokage. I will remain in Konoha until the end of the month. Then I will travel west to offer penance to the son of the Yellow Flash, and hope that he forgives this foolish old woman."

In the days following Tsunade's resignation, things got even more hectic. Mostly regarding the Emperor of the West and his wife. The Main Branch of the Hyuuga Clan had voted unanimously to declare Hinata's marriage to Naruto invalid and issued an order for her to return to Konoha immediately, lest she would end up suffering the wrath of the Hyuuga Clan. The order was ignored.

For Naruto, the Civilian clan found out that Naruto had bank accounts in both Tea and Spring Countries. They had sent envoys there, with orders to the banks demanding that they hand over the Namikaze family's wealth so it can liquidated and used to further Konoha's selfish desires. Both were sent back empty-handed.

Five days after Tsunade had resigned her post from Konoha, she had received word from a smaller slug summon that the Fire Lord was less than a mile off from Konoha with his Guardian Ninja and a battalion of his private army.

'Perfect timing,' Tsunade thought as the small slug disappeared, just as a squad of Konoha ROOT ANBU led by Sai approached her while she was inside the ninja-only bar and grill, enjoying a drink.

"Lady Tsunade, your presence is requested inside the Council Chambers by the Rokudaime-Elect," Sai said.

"Can't this wait until after I'm finished?" the former Hokage asked, doing a good job of acting annoyed.

"I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade, but the Rokudaime-elect has ordered a mandatory meeting of all clan heads, their successors, and Special Jounin," the ink user replied. Please come with us."

Sighing, Tsunade down the last of her sake and headed for the Hokage Tower with her escort.

* * *

><p>Konoha Council Chambers – minutes later.<p>

Sure enough, the Konoha Council Chamber was packed with nothing but Shinobi, from the clan heads to the Special Jounin when Tsunade entered the room. Tsunade took notice of the ROOT ANBU and the Hyuuga Main Branch ninja that stood guard inside the room.

Seated in the Hokage's chair, in the robes of state and the Hokage's hat, was Danzou Shimura. The two council elders were seated on either side of the warhawk-turned-Rokudaime. Only this time, Hiashi Hyuuga sat next to Koharu while Asana Haruno sat next to Honmura. Tsunade also took notice of Sakura Haruno standing among the ANBU and Hyuuga ninja.

"Ah, Lady Tsunade," Danzou greeted smoothly. "So nice of you to join us."

"All right, I'm here. What do you want, Lord Hokage?" Tsunade demanded, showing Danzou the same disrespect he had shown her during her tenure as the Godaime.

"You could at least congratulate me on my ascension to the seat of Hokage," Danzou replied. "Aside from taking oaths of loyalty, which the clans have not taken yet, I am here to inform you, Tsunade Senju, that your rite of free passage is hereby revoked."

Tsunade cocked an eyebrow. "Excuse me? Last time I checked, Shimura, my rite of free passage was given to me and Jiraiya once we became Sages."

"True," Danzou said. "But you're needed here in Konoha. As for Jiraiya, I have tracked him down to Spring Country. If he knows what is good for him, then he will not refuse my summons to return. The Spring Damiyo will not interfere with Konoha business, even thought she did grant him asylum."

Tsunade snorted. "Needed? You mean you want me here to keep an eye on me."

Danzou shrugged his shoulders. "Call it what you like. You may be a sage, but you are still a shinobi of the Leaf. I cannot...no, I **will not** let you go West to that brat and his whore of a wife."

Tsunade smirked. "Still sore over the fact that same brat mopped the floor with you and your precious ROOT ANBU?"

Danzou ignored the insult. "Furthermore, I am reversing your judgment in regards to Sakura Haruno. I felt that it was...unjust. Effective immediately, she is reinstated as a shinobi in the Konohagakure shinobi force with the rank of Jounin. Furthermore, as your Rokudaime, you are hereby ordered to take Haruno back as your apprentice and to terminate your apprenticeship to Ino Yamanaka."

As Inochi and Ino raised their voices in protest, Tsunade looked at the smirking Sakura and the regal Asana. "And how much did Asana bribe you to make this decision?" Tsunade asked.

"That is none of your concern," Asana replied. "You will do as the Rokudaime commands and take back my daughter as your apprentice!"

"Um...fuck no?" was Tsunade's reply.

Before Danzou could reply to Tsunade's remark, the doors to the council chambers opened and five more ROOT ANBU marched in with a bound Makie Asahina. Deciding to place Tsunade on hold, Danzou turned to the Imperial ninja/Pekara Merchant. "Captain Asahina, do you know why you are here?"

Despite being bound, Makie showed no fear. "Enlighten me, you old crow."

"Makie Asahina, you have been brought before the Konoha Council to answer for the crimes of murdering three Hyuuga Main Branch Ninja," Hiashi replied. "**My** ninja. Second, the Pekara Merchant House will be ordered to pay reparations to the Hyuuga Clan and the Konoha Mercantile Guild."

"Your ninja attacked me," Makie replied. "It was self-defense. The Godaime ruled it as such. And to quote your former Hokage, 'Fuck no.'"

"And that is another thing that I am overturning," Danzou replied. "You have killed Konoha ninja from a respected and honorable clan, which carries an automatic death sentence. Do you have anything to say before your sentence is carried out?"

Makie didn't say anything. Instead, she reacted. While they were talking, Makie had freed her bonds. She elbowed the ROOT to her left in the face, driving the cartilage into her brain, killing her instantly. The second ROOT ANBU to her left drew her katana, but Makie quickly disarmed her, and was armed with her own katana, the second ROOT ANBU lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood, her throat slashed.

In an instant, five Hyuuga Main Branch Ninja and five ROOT ANBU surrounded the young kunoichi. The other ROOT in the room had their weapons drawn, keeping the other Shinobi at bay.

"You have no idea who you are fucking with," Makie replied. "I can just as easily carve through the ten of you without blinking an eye."

"Enough of this! Kill her!" Hiashi shouted.

Fifty seconds later, the five Hyuuga Ninja and the five ROOT ANBU were all slain. Makie was covered in blood spatter, but was still alive. Her flak vest had taken some damage, but other than that, she was unharmed. Suffice to say, the Shinobi clan heads and their children were impressed with her skill.

"You have sealed your fate!" Hiashi shouted. "You will not leave this room alive!"

"Looks like self-defense to me," the Fire Lord said from the doorway.

'Just in time," Tsunade thought as the Fire Lord entered the room, followed by his Guardian Ninja and a squad of heavily-armed ninja from his personal military force.

"Lord Damiyo! This woman has killed members of my clan! I demand justice!" Hiashi demanded as several ROOT ANBU cleaned up the bodies of the fallen ninja.

The Fire Lord turned to Makie. "You are free to go, Captain Asahina," he said. "Your actions were deemed justifiable in my eyes."

Makie bowed and departed from the room, while Hiashi sputtered out curses to the smirking Asahina. Once she was gone, the Fire Lord turned to Danzou. "Why is it every time you idiots make me so angry with your rampant stupidity I have to personally intervene? Did you forget that the Toad Sage answers directly to me, and not to the Hokage? Or did you forget that I **personally** signed the decision in regards to the Haruno girl? Or that this village is still a shinobi village because of my grace?"

He turned to Tsunade. "Tsunade Senju, I am hereby restoring your rite of free passage...as well as relieving you of your responsibilities as a shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato." He then turned to the Shinobi present. "As a matter of fact, I am extending this to all of you. For the next fourteen days, any Shinobi from the lowest of Genin to the Elite Jounin is free to leave Konohagakure no Sato. You will not be labeled as missing ninja nor placed inside the Bingo Book. Any attempts to restrain any ninja wanting to leave by genjutsu, force, blackmail, bribery or **seals**," he threatened, directing the last shot at Hiashi, "will result in an automatic death sentence to the offending party, regardless of their status in this village."

In an instant, Asana was on her feet. "You can't do that!" she objected.

"I just did," the Fire Lord replied. "And to make sure that my orders are carried out, I am leaving a battalion of my most loyal soldiers here to make sure that no one interferes for the next two weeks. Cross me, Shimura, and you will have the honor of being the Hokage with the shortest term in the history of the village."

That said, the Fire Lord stalked out of the room, his guardian ninja following close behind. As soon as they were gone, Tsunade turned to the gathered ninja. "In six days, I will be leaving Konoha for good. If you wish to come with me, then you are free to do so."

With that said, the Slug Sage departed from the room. Meanwhile, the gathered Shinobi were talking amongst themselves. They were seriously giving the idea consideration.

Hiashi saw that his fellow clan heads were clearly considering the Fire Lord's decree, and tried to make the ninja see reason. "You can't leave. We are Konoha shinobi. We must stick together and show a unified front. Your ancestors were part of this village ever since it was founded. The Leaf has put a major investment in your training and that of your children. Maybe instead of worrying about that drunk of a sage, you should start worrying about your future, and that of your own children."

Chouza, Inochi, Shikaku, Tsume, Shibi, Asuma and Kakashi all exchanged glances. Then Inochi rose from his seat and stepped towards Danzou and the others. For a moment, Hiashi thought that his words had gotten through to them and Inochi would be the first to swear loyalty to the Rokudaime...

...until Inochi unfastened his hitai-ate and dropped it to the floor, where it made a sharp **CLINK** as the metal struck the floor.

"I am thinking for my future, and that of my family. And it's not in this village," Inochi replied before walking out of the room.

Soon, Ino did the same thing, unfastening her hitai-ate and dropping it to the floor alongside her father's. Then Chouza. And Chouji. And Shikaku. And Shikamaru. And Shibi. And Shino.

"W-wait a second! You can't do this!" Asana objected as the procession passed the Hokage and his advisers, the sharp sound of hitai-ates landing on one another making the Rokudaime even more angrier by the second.

**CLINK.** Tsume has dropped her hitai-ate into the growing pile.

"You are all Konoha shinobi! Your loyalty is to the Hokage!" Sakura shouted.

**CLINK. **Kiba tossed his to the ground.

**CLINK. **Asuma and Kurenai's hitai-ates landed on the pile at the same time.

**CLINK. **Anko flipped off the Hokage and his advisers before walking out, having discarded her hitai-ate.

"You are jeopardizing your future as ninja!" Koharu shouted.

**CLINK. **Maito Gai's hitai-ate joined the pile.

**CLINK.** Tenten and Rock Lee's hitai-ates followed suit.

"SASUKE?" Sakura shouted.

**CLINK.** Sasuke dropped his hitai-ate at Sakura's feet. "I'm done with this town," he replied as Kakashi dropped his own hitai-ate and followed his rival's team.

With this act of defiance, unknown to Konoha, it was the beginning of the end for the Leaf.

* * *

><p>With the exception of the Hyuuga Main Branch Clan, the Hyuuga Cadet Branch Clan, led by Neji Hyuuga, the main clans of Konoha – the Aburame, Yamanaka, Akamichi, Nara, Inuzuka and Sarutobi – as well as a sizable number of Jounin and Chuunin had decided that it was best to leave Konoha rather than serve under a power-mad and corrupt government. Since Tsunade was heading for the Western Empire, those that were leaving had decided to thrown in their lot with the former Hokage and head West.<p>

Neji, however, had an ulterior motive in leaving Konoha. The reason being was that he was romantically involved with Tenten. And since he was part of the Cadet Branch, any child born from their union would be subjected to the Caged Bird Seal, something that Hanabi had reminded him plenty of times. Deciding that a new life out West was more better than a lifetime of servitude and humiliation, the entire Cadet Branch had turned in their hitai-ates as well, crippling the power of the Main Branch.

The clan heads prepared for the move. Among them, Shikaku and Shikamaru had slaughtered their deer and preserved its meat for the travel to the West, Chouza and Chouji helping. Ino and her parents had sold the Yamanaka flower shop to one of the civilians who was a loyal customer, but decided to stay behind in Konoha. When the Konoha Mercantile Guild refused to sell them supplies, it was the Pekara Merchant House that made the save by offering supplies at half the normal cost.

Even Ibiki Morino, Konoha's resident torture expert and his younger brother, had decided to put in their lot with Tsunade. Since Konoha's numbers were still small and that there were no Genin at the academy this year, having about half of Konoha's experienced ninja leaving the village was a serious blow.

Before she resigned, Tsunade had pilfered the files of all of the clans and high-ranking Chuunin and Jounin, as well as raiding the village's treasury, removing the Senju family fortunes, as well as those of the Uchiha. The clan heads had already taken their cash out of the city's banks and were using their combined resources for supplies for the upcoming trip. Tsunade even went as far as to retrieve the ashes of the first four Hokages (Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze), as well as the ashes of Dan, Nawaki Senju and Kushinna Namikaze from the Konoha graveyard and sealed them in several scrolls.

The Damiyo's decree was enforced with vigor. When a Hyuuga Main Branch ninja tried to stop Neji from resigning, he was immediately killed on the spot. All in all, fifty ninja and villagers were executed for violating the Damiyo's law, and over two hundred Konoha ninja and their families had decided to leave.

* * *

><p>Konoha – Day of the Exodus<p>

Morning came over Konohagakure. Tsunade looked at the gathered crowd before her. With the exception of the Hyuuga Main Branch Clan, the Hyuuga Cadet Branch were present, as were all of the other clans and over two hundred Chuunin and Jounin.

Watching nearby, were Asana and Sakura Haruno, the two elder council members Koharu Utane and Honmura Mitokado, Hiashi Hyuuga and his daughter, Danzou Shimura and a sizable amount of ROOT ANBU and Hyuuga Main Branch Ninja. The Rokudaime and his entourage did not look very happy, as the ninja leaving were the most experienced and the most promising in the shinobi world.

Shizune stood at her mentor's side, Tonton in her arms. "Everyone's ready, Tsunade," she said.

Tsunade nodded. "So many...there are so many of them."

"No argument there," said a voice she hasn't heard in over eight years.

Shizune and Tsunade turned to the source of the voice. Jiraiya stood by the Slug Sage, having appeared in a poof of smoke. Despite everything that has happened, she was happy to see the old perv.

"If the situation wasn't as serious, this could be a great scene for my latest novel," the old man said. He then took a serious expression. "I know everything, Tsunade. I went to the West to try and convince the kid to defend Konoha, but after what I learned convinced me otherwise." He looked at the Rokudaime and his lackeys. "This village was our home. But after Minato had died...it had lost the Will of Fire."

"So true," Tsunade replied. "Grandpa and Uncle Tobirama would be rolling over in their graves if they could see how this village has ended up. Konoha is finished. So what's the plan?"

"We head south, towards Wave. Naruto has several ships standing by to take us to the West." Jiraiya looked at the gathered ninja that were leaving alongside the Slug Sage. "Are all the people here ninja?"

Tsunade nodded. "And their families. A small number of civilians had left for the Fire Capital and the surrounding towns. We got all the clans – save for the Hyuuga Main Branch, and about two hundred Chuunin and Jounin. Even Anko and Ibiki wanted out."

Jiraiya also took notice of Sasuke Uchiha, standing with Shikamaru and Chouji, chatting. "I'm surprised to see that the Uchiha is coming."

"Me too. But I can't complain. But enough talking. Let's get this show on the road."

With that, what was soon to be known as the Konoha Exodus has begun.

* * *

><p>Imperial Complex – House of Sovereigns, three days later.<p>

A meeting of the Imperial Council.

"Operation Susanoo's Wrath is a success," Naruto reported. "Oto has been destroyed, and Orochimaru has been slain."

"And the refugees from Konoha?" Kokoro Yamada asked.

"I have received word that they are on their way to the coast," Naruto replied. "They are being led by Jiraiya and Tsunade Senju."

"Senju...now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time," Kokoro said. "A very long time."

"You know about the Senju clan?" Hinata asked.

"In a way," the older woman replied. "On my father's side, I am a direct descendant of the Senju."

"Care to explain?" Naruto asked.

"My clan ancestor and co-founder was Toka Senju, a master genjutsu specialist who was a close associate of one of the co-founders of Konoha, Hashirama Senju," Kokoro explained. "When Konoha was founded by Harashima and Madara Uchiha, Toka had met and fallen in love with a ninja from the West. His name was Hiro Yamada, the founder of my clan. Back then, the West was relatively peaceful, and not locked in the years of civil war."

"So Hiro's specialty was that he was an expert healer, right?" Hinata asked.

"Correct, Lady Hinata," the Yamada clan head replied, pride in her voice. "You can say that he was the forerunner of the medic-ninja. In fact, he was the creator of several medical ninjitsu, including the Mystic Palm Jutsu. However, Hiro was called back to the West when the wars had intensified. Hashirama allowed Toka to leave with him. By the time Tobirama Senju ascended the position of Hokage, all contact was lost. To tell you the truth, Chief, I am very surprised to hear that a Senju from the East is still alive,"

"Since you claim ancestry from the Senju, then you would have no problem in backing that claim up," Naruto said, interested that he had a distant relative sitting on the council.

Kokoro nodded. "I can send you copies of my family tree, if you are interested."

Since Naruto had also claimed ancestry from the Senju clan through his grandmother, Haruka connected the dots. "Chief, you do realize that Yamada is a distant relative?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Ironic that I have family in the West. But we can settle that later. Right now, we have to prepare for three hundred new arrivals. North Kimon will be a good place for the arrivals."

Located within the Imperial Capital, North Kimon was a wooded district that used to belong to the most powerful clans supporting Rokunbungi Oda. When Oda was killed, those supporting the fallen warlord had fled with nothing but the clothes on ther backs. Naruto had then seized control of their assets, had them liquidated and used them to finance his war. When they returned with their own personal army to take back Kimon City a year later, Naruto had a surprise for them.

He had just learned the Hirashin. Combined with two shadow clones, the clans and their armies were wiped off the map.

Now, North Kimon was empty. There was plenty of room in Kimon City, but Naruto chose North Kimon because it was the one place where he can keep an eye on the Konoha refugees. The clans got their own compounds, while the Jounin and Chuunin, he would have set up in three dorm-like buildings.

"When will the Konoha refugees arrive?" Ryuji Shinzen asked.

"In four days," Naruto replied. "Granny Tsunade has their dossiers with her, so Hinata and I will be busy with assigning them with duties similar to that of what they used to do in Konoha."

"And what about Konoha?" Sonshi asked. "If they do take up arms against you, then what?"

"Easy. We'll let Iwa and Kumo know that it was Konoha's very own ROOT ANBU that conducted Susanoo's Wrath," Naruto replied, grinning. "We'll frame Konoha and their Rokudaime for the attack and let Danzou deal with the headache."

* * *

><p>En route to the Unified West...<p>

The Exodus had taken two days' march from Konoha to the coast of Fire Country. It was made possible for the fact that the ninja had carried their loved ones as they hopped through the trees. Once they reached the coast, they were greeted with the sight of five supply ships, ready to carry them to a new world.

Tsunade had assigned the clans each to one ship, along with a sizable number of Chuunin and Jounin under their watch. Both generations of the Yamanaka, Akamichi and Nara had been assigned to the first boat. Asuma and Kurenai were on the second boat. The Hyuuga Cadet Branch Clan, led by Neji Hyuuga, the Inuzuka, Tenten, Rock Lee, Kakashi Hatake and Maito Gai boarded the third. The Aburame clan (along with Sasuke Uchiha) got on board the fourth. And Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Shizune took the last boat out.

With Konoha behind them, the clan heads decided to come clean about the circumstances behind Naruto's banishment. Shikamaru had told Ino and Chouji, who in turn confronted their parents about it. In the hold below deck, the three clan heads confirmed Shikamaru's claims, while the Jounin and Chuunin listened on in shock.

Inochi slowly nodded, as Chouza's expression was grim. "Yes, Ino. Much to our shame, we agreed to the banishment in exchange for your lives."

"We had originally planned on banishing the Uchiha," Shikaku seconded, "but Danzou approached all of us and issued the ultimatum. In exchange for your safety, we banished an innocent ninja for doing his duty."

"But is what Shikamaru said true? About Naruto being the son of Minato Namikaze?" Chouji asked.

"It is, son," Chouza replied. "Shikaku, Inochi and myself...we were all friends with Minato. We came up together in the shinobi academy. When he married Kushinna, we were all there. And when Naruto was born...oh, Minato was so overjoyed. But that was short-lived when Madara used the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha."

"So Uzumaki is not the Nine-Tails reborn?" a chuunin asked.

"No," Shikaku replied. "He is the son of the Yondaime Hokage, and the former container of the Nine-Tails. The Tailed Beasts are not demons as the civilians called them, but rather beasts that are more attuned to nature and the elements."

"And how do you know this?" Yoshino demanded.

"I read when I'm not herding deer," her husband replied. "The Konoha library had plenty of books detailing the Six Paths Sage and the jinchuuriki."

* * *

><p>On the ship with the Hyuuga and the Inuzuka...<p>

Team Gai, along with Kakashi, has just finished listening to Tsume's confession in regards to Naruto's banishment. They were not very happy.

Especially Kiba and Hana.

"Not only were your lives threatened," Tsume continued, "but those from other genin teams that showed potential...Gai's team, Neji Hyuuga..."

Hana looked sick. Her three dogs were also upset. "We screwed Naruto over big time," she lamented.

"You wasn't the one who threatened to kill him the next time he appeared," Kiba said. "He was justified in beating us down the way he did."

"Just think, the dead-last the Emperor of the West, and his wife who was written off as worthless by her own family the Empress Consort," Tenten said. "The same guy that unified the West and rallied the remaining Jinchuuriki under his banner, not to mention both he and Hinata had fought and destroyed the Akatsuki."

"Naruto could have just as easily turned his armies upon Konoha once he became the Emperor," Neji said, lost in his thoughts. "But instead, he freed himself of his past. Hinata could have killed me, Hannabi or Hiashi, and would have been justified in her actions." His fingers gently rubbed over the Caged Bird Seal. "'There is no such thing as fate. There is only choice.' He told me that in Tea Country. He was right."

Kakashi just simply listened on in silence as he tied a headband over his Sharingan, silently vowing that he would make it up to Naruto, no mater what it takes.

* * *

><p>On the ship with the Aburame and the Uchiha...<p>

Sasuke Uchiha was currently blowing chunks overboard. Shibi had just told the others about the true reasons behind Naruto's banishment. Almost immediately, the last Uchiha felt sick to his stomach. Which is why he was currently vomiting over the ship, while the ship's crew looked on in amusement.

Almost immediately, Shibi emerged above deck, and saw the queasy Uchiha. On the ship containing the Yamanaka, Inochi Yamanaka, as well as Chouza Akamichi. had witnessed Sasuke losing his lunch. A silent exchange between the two clan heads ensued, followed by a simple nod of the head from the master bug user.

Inochi's body went limp as he performed the Mind Transfer Technique, Chouza catching Inochi and setting him down gently on the deck. Seconds later, the Yamanaka clan head had possessed his Aburame counterpart.

"I take it you heard," Inochi/Shibi said as Sasuke wiped his mouth.

"I don't feel so hot," Sasuke moaned.

"Is it because of your actions which led to the banishment of Uzumaki? Or the fact that the clan heads were forced to choose a hero over you in exchange for the safety of their children? Or the fact that your former teammate is the son of the Yellow Flash?"

"With the exception of the last one, since I was present in the chambers that day," the last Uchiha replied. "But...why? You could have rose up against Danzou and the others."

"That would have ended in a civil war. And with the Hyuuga clan backing them up, Konoha would have been destroyed, its Shinobi forces depleted, and our children kidnapped and taken into ROOT."

"At least now I can understand why the other clan heads hate me," Sasuke admitted.

"But I am curious. Why **did ** you decide to leave Konoha, and come with us?" Shibi/Inochi asked.

"Redemption, mostly. That and I would rather fight Gaara and Orochimaru at the same time before I marry Sakura," Sasuke admitted. "That woman is batshit insane. Her mom, too. I always thought that Hiashi would be jumping with joy when he found out that Hinata was the Empress of the West."

"Kinda hard when the one person you thought was weak effectively ends your Shinobi career," Shibi/Inochi said. "Do you really believe that redemption can be earned instead or bought? I destroyed a friendship because of my vengeance and caused a loyal ninja to be banished. Naruto will never forgive me for this betrayal."

"You admitting that you screwed up...that's taking the first step," Shibi/Inochi admitted. "But...Naruto was never known to hold grudges."

"People change, Yamanaka. Especially when you don't see them for eight years," the Uchiha replied before heading back down deck.

"So true," Shibi/Inochi said as Yamanaka broke the Mind Transfer, giving Shibi control back of his body.

* * *

><p>The scene played out as well on the remaining two boats, Asuma and Kurenai telling the assembled Jounin and Chuunin about what they had learned from Tsunade while they were making the trek to the coast, while Tsunade and Jiraiya did the same on their boat. Reactions were varied, but everyone thought the same thing: leaving Konoha was the best decision they had ever made, lest they would found themselves in a virtual police state under Danzou.<p>

But given the fact that they were heading for the Western Empire which was ruled by a banished ninja, it was a risk that they had to take.

* * *

><p>Back in Konoha...<p>

A war council was meeting inside the half-deserted Hyuuga Compound. The two weeks had passed without any further incident. Following the passing of that deadline, Danzou had Konoha placed under martial law. ROOT ANBU and Hyuuga ninja patrolled the streets in a show of strength. It was a new era for Konoha, as Danzou had envisioned. Once Konoha had regained its strength, all it had to do was wait until the Fire Damiyo had passed on. Then he could declare war on the Unified West.

Hiashi was going through the final numbers of the ninja that had left Konoha. "All of the clans, as well as the traitors in my clan, and approximately 175 Jounin and 160 Chuunin had defected from Konoha. On top of that, that damned drunk cleaned out the treasury and the library of all jutsu and techniques!"

"Over three hundred of our most experienced ninja...gone!" Asana Haruno shouted. "And we just let them walk out of the village! Furthermore, we lost Sasuke Uchiha! Despite the promise of power and wealth, he left along with that drunk of a sage and that perverted hermit!"

Hiashi looked grim. "Even more so, that damned Emperor can remove the Caged Bird Seal from Neji and the other branch members. He did it for Hinata, and he can just as easily remove it for the Cadet Branch in order to cement their loyalty. That damned brat is a threat! He must be dealt with, no matter what the cost!"

"Hiashi, calm," Danzou replied. "I have already taken steps in dealing with the situation. We will simply bring in some fresh blood, clans who are loyal to the Leaf. The wise will cultivate our favor, and those who challenge our power will not be around to argue. Second, we will open dialogue with Iwa. I think they will be very interested in discovering that the Emperor is the son of Minato Namikaze."

* * *

><p>About five miles out of Konoha...<p>

A squad of the Imperial Defense Force's Demolition and Explosives Division has just returned from a covert mission inside Konoha. The nine-man team was disguised as ROOT ANBU, and had performed their duty with no fuss from the real ROOT ANBU that were patrolling the streets alongside the Hyuuga Ninja.

The commanding officer of this 'special assignment' ordered by the Emperor himself, was Makie Asahina. This was her last assignment before she would head for Spring Country, where the Empire has just recently opened up an Imperial Consulate in the Spring Capital.

Clad in her ninja uniform with the crimson vest, Makie watched the unsuspecting village with a pair of binoculars, just as the nine ninja appeared in a poof of smoke.

"Mission accomplished, Captain Asahina," the senior ninja, a man by the name of Sho reported. He then produced a small remote detonator and handed it to her.

Makie accepted the detonator and flipped the safety off. "I always wanted to go out with a bang," she mused as she pressed the button.

At the same time, back in Konoha...

"What about the Empire's allies in Suna, Wave and Spring?" Koharu asked.

"We will move against Wave first," Danzou replied. "We'll use several squads of ninja, cross the bridge and annex the island. The people have no ninja village and after we make an example out of several of them, they will not resist. I will transform Wave into a forward operations base and seize the Imperial Consulate located there. Then I will move against Spring. Anyone who is an ally to that damned Emperor and his whore of a wife is an enemy of the Leaf."

"But in the meantime, we must tread carefully and rebuild Konoha's forces," Hiashi pointed out.

"I agree," Danzou replied. "In the meantime, we will denounce the Kyuubi brat and his whore as traitors to the Leaf –"

**KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM!**

* * *

><p>Outside of Konoha, Makie and the Imperial ninja watched with satisfied grins as the Hokage Mounment – containing the faces of Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze and Tsunade Senju – detonated from the demolition charges – basically several satchels full of exploding tags wired to remote blasting caps from their hiding places inside the mountain, destroying the massive faces, and sending chunks of rocky debris to the village below.<p>

The falling debris had caused massive damage to the Hokage Tower, the building soon collapsing onto itself. Aside from the monument, the demotion team had also planted charges inside the former clan homes of the Nara, Yamanaka, Aburame, Inuzuka, Sarutobi and the Namikaze Estate also went up in a series of explosions. Not even the Uchiha District was spared, as the entire district was also destroyed.

All in all, zero body count, maximum property damage.

As chaos ensued inside Konoha, Makie and the others headed south for Wave.

* * *

><p>As Danzou and the war council rushed outside, they were greeted with an unnerving sight. The faces of the first five Hokages that were carved into the mountain had fallen from the mountainside, demolishing the forests beneath the massive mountain...as well as the Hokage Tower, which was crushed under the debris.<p>

Danzou was furious. He knew that Naruto was the one responsible. Almost immediately, Danzou had ordered the invasion of Wave to take place once the fires were put out.

However, by the time Danzou had ordered the invasion of Wave Country, they had found that the Great Naruto Bridge was also demolished, effectively blocking access to Wave. Disappointed, the ROOT ANBU and Hyuuga Ninja returned back to Konoha.

* * *

><p>Kimon City, the Imperial Capital.<p>

It was mid-morning when the five ships arrived at the Imperial Capital. Tsunade and Jiraiya made out the former Raikage of Kumo, along with the Nibi Jinchuuriki and the Demon of the Mist standing at the entrance of the town. Along with them were Konan and Yahiko.

Once the boats were secured, the refugees form Konoha began to disembark. Tsunade and Jiraiya told the others to remain behind as she approached the four ninja.

"Lady Tsunade. Lord Jiraiya. Welcome to Kimon City," A greeted.

"The Emperor and Empress sent the four of you to greet us?" Tsunade asked.

"Yeah," Yahiko replied. "Consider us your personal welcome wagon. The Chief has told us to inform you, Jiraiya, the clan heads and chosen successors to meet with both him and Lady Hinata at the Imperial Palace for a quick meeting. Everyone else will head for North Kimon and settle in. Me and A will take you to see the Chief. Konan and Yugito will lead the others to North Kimon."

"Preparations have already been made for the clans," A continued. "All clan compounds are identified by their clan insignias. The Chuunin and Jounin will be set up in three dorms until they can find their own place."

Tsunade nodded. She turned around and faced the refugees and relayed the order. Soon, Asuma Sarutobi stepped forward, followed by the clan head and their successors of the Akamichi, Aburame, Inuzuka, Hyuuga (in this case, the Cadet Branch had voted Neji as Clan Head, with Tenten tagging along), Nara, and Yamanaka.

"Follow me," A said as he and Yahiko led the clan heads, their successors and the two sages to the Imperial Palace, while Yugito and Konan took the remaining refugees to North Kimon.

* * *

><p>Imperial Complex – House of Sovereigns<p>

The main feeling that the Konoha clan heads were feeling was mostly apprehension. Here they were, strangers in a strange land, summoned for a quick meeting with the Emperor, the son of Minato Namikaze, as well as his wife. The same person who was once known as the knuckle-headed ninja of Konoha with a penchant of making the impossible possible was the most powerful man in the West.

Of course they had a right to be scared. Fortunately, Shikamaru had set things in perspective, that Naruto was not looking for vengeance on Konoha...despite the fact that they deserved it. If Konoha decide to bring war onto his doorstep (which is a possibility, since Danzou was now in charge), then Naruto would have no problem in destroying the Leaf once and for all.

A had given the clan heads a quick history about Naruto and the Western Empire. It was true that Naruto had rescued both him and Bee from being killed, as well as rescuing the other Jinchuuriki, who had made their home throughout the Empire. It was also true that the Nine-Tails was a vixen and the chief prime minister of the Empire. And it was also true that it was Naruto who had eliminated Orochimaru and destroyed the alliance between Oto, Kumo and Iwa.

A and Yahiko led the Konoha ninja inside the House of Sovereigns, stopping only when they reached the doors to the Throne Room. "The Emperor and Empress Consort are inside. Try not to piss them off. They're not as forgiving."

* * *

><p>Inside the throne room, Naruto and Hinata Namikaze sat on their thrones; Naruto dressed in his white shirt, black vest, pants and boots, while Hinata was in her ninja uniform, hair tied behind her in a ponytail. Kitami stood beside Naruto's throne, dressed in one of her elegant kimonos.<p>

The doors to the throne room opened, and Tsunade entered the throne room, followed by Jiraiya and the clan heads and chosen successors. It was already known that Naruto and Hinata were the most powerful couple in the West, but to the clan heads and their children, it was...unnerving, to say the least.

Eight years was a long time, and in those eight years, Naruto had matured. He was still unpredictable at times, but proved to be a capable and effective ruler. Hinata looked regal, despite being dressed in her ninja uniform. If she was surprised to see Neji and Tenten representing the Hyuuga clan, she did not show it.

Tsunade went down on one knee, followed by Jiraiya. Soon, the other clan heads and their successors followed suit.

"Rise," Kitami ordered.

Once they did, Naruto began to speak. "Let's get one thing straight. I already know why you did what you did, as it was Shikamaru who had told me in the aftermath of the Suna-Akatsuki War. But that doesn't mean that you're off the hook. As you can already tell, my mistrust of the Leaf runs deep. If you are looking for redemption, it's not given here. It is earned. You, as well as all of the ninja who had came here from Konohagakure are on probation for one year. Prove your worth to the Unified West, to my wife and to me, and I will grant you clan status and citizenship."

He turned to Neji. "Neji Hyuuga, for you, I will sweeten the deal. The same rules still apply, but if you and the cadet branch show your loyalty to the Unified West, I will make you clan head...and I will also remove the Caged Bird Seal from your head." Then he turned back to the others. "If you have any problems or questions, our door is open. But I will say this once, so pay attention. If you try and screw me or Hinata over...if I hear one whiff of treachery from **any one** of you...you will be a head shorter. Are we clear?"

The assembled ninja nodded.

"Glad we understand one another. The rules in this town are just about the same as they were in Konoha – don't steal anything, treat the people with respect and everything will be fine. Jiraiya...Tsunade...remain behind. We have much to discuss. The rest of you are dismissed. Settle in and get your bearings around town. I will have your assignments for you in a couple of days."

The clan heads bowed and walked out of the room. All except Asuma.

"Something on your mind, Sarutobi?" Naruto asked as he leaned back in his throne.

"My nephew...is he well?" Asuma asked, knowing full well that Maru respected and admired Naruto a great deal.

The Emperor nodded. "He is. He's with the garrison at the Suna Consulate. Because of his actions in the war against the Akatsuki, Gaara promoted him and his two friends to Jounin."

"Can you...talk to him? I've missed so much out of his life," Asuma asked to the point that it sounded like he was pleading.

Naruto slowly nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

Asuma nodded his thanks and made his exit.

* * *

><p>"Was that her?" Tsume asked as the clan heads and their children left the House of Sovereigns. "I smelled foxes surrounding her."<p>

Kiba nodded. "Yeah. That's the Nine-Tails, all right."

"Quite amazing to see how the Emperor has the most powerful of the bijuu under his command," Shibi noted.

"Even more amazing that he did not have us execute for screwing him over," Shikaku added. "If it wasn't for the hair color, he'd look exactly like his dad."

Chouza nodded. "You think we made the right choice in coming here?"

Inochi nodded. "Most definitely. It will be hard at first, but in the end, things will work out for the best. I would rather take my chances with a banished ninja-turned-Emperor rather than that crazy warhawk and his ass-kissing henchmen."

"In the meantime, we should get settled in," Tsume said.

* * *

><p>Inside the Imperial Palace...<p>

The Emperor of the Unified West and his wife were seated with the two surviving sages and were talking over dinner.

"How was the way in?" Hinata asked.

"Very scenic," Tsunade replied. "Is it true? About Orochimaru?"

"I took his head myself," Naruto replied. "And I took his sword as a trophy. Kabuto is also gone. Zabuza took his head as well. Susanoo's Wrath was a huge success. I did what I said I would do."

"That you did," Jiraiya said. "So what now? Danzou is now a credible threat. Once the Fire Lord croaks, he will be hell-bent on destroying you and your allies."

"I know," Naruto replied. "He tried to kill one of my merchants, I believe you know her. I had her reassigned to the Imperial garrison down in Wave Country. That was Danzou's intended target, because of my support base there. So after talking it over with Tazuma and the Wave Council, they agreed to letting my troops destroy the bridge, thus hindering Danzou's attempts to invade."

"Just a week earlier, we received a formal notice from the Rokudaime-elect and what remained of the Konoha Council," Hinata continued. "Saying that the Pekara Merchant House is ordered by the Rokudaime and Civilian Council to pay reparations to the Konoha Mercantile Guild, as well as a notice from the Hyuuga Main Branch declaring our marriage to be null and void, and that I must return to Konoha immediately."

"The arrogance of the Council and their crazy Hokage," Naruto snorted. "It did get a good laugh from the council when we showed it to them. So I relayed an order to Captain Asahina and told her to send Konoha a message, hence the destruction of the Hokage Monument and the former clans' homes. Asahina blowing up the Uchiha district was a bonus. The message is clear: I can destroy Konoha whenever and however I want, but I will let them live with the disgrace that they had brought upon themselves."

"And what if Konoha **do** try and attack the Unified West?" Jiraiya asked.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told the council," Naruto replied, "I'll simply turn Kumo and Iwa loose on them, blame Konoha for Susanoo's Wrath. Let Danzou deal with Stone and Lightning."

"Fair enough," Tsunade said. "What do you have planned for the clans?"

"I don't know just yet. Hinata and I still have to go through the files you gave us. But off the top of my head, Zabuza needs some help with the Interrogation and Torture Division of the Imperial Defense Forces, so Inochi, Ibiki and Anko would be at home there. We also got a ninja academy in East Kimon, so some of the ninja can teach, others can patrol the city and the countryside. There's plenty to do here in the West. Konoha is the least of my worries at the moment."

"And if blaming Konoha on the attacks on Kumo and Iwa don't work?" Jiraiya asked.

"Then I'll let Kitami finish what she started. Only this time, she will be a willing participant. In the matter," Naruto replied.

In the back of their minds, the two remaining sages almost felt bad for their former village. Key word being almost.


	13. 6 Burying the Hatchet

_**Chapter Six: Burying the Hatchet**_

Snafu's Notes: There is a method to my madness as to why Naruto allowed the Konoha clans asylum. And for those who don't like how my story is progressing or how Naruto deals with people, I can sum it up in seven words: **my story, my choice, deal with it**. Don't like it, then don't read it.

Also, I changed Haku's gender back to male, for the reason that he and Ino will hook up. The story is almost complete. Enjoy reading.

[Journal of the Emperor, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze]

_**Entry 1:**_

_**It's been two weeks since the destruction of the Sound and of Orochimaru's death by my hands. Two weeks since I allowed the Konoha clans asylum to cripple Konoha's power. I told the clans that I would not make it easy for them, and so far, I have kept my word. **_

_**But they are resilient, and do not back down from a challenge. **_

_**I should start off with Tsunade and Jiraiya. At Hinata's request, I assigned Tsunade to the hospital along with Shizune and Ino. I also notified Tsunade about Kokoro Yamada, and of her connection to the Senju. Tsunade was surprised to find out that she had family still living, and they survived the generations of war. The Slug Sage and the clan head hit it off pretty well, and I discovered another thing about Kokoro – she likes her sake as well. **_

_**Jiraiya could have retired and I would have to deal with him peeping in the women's hot springs. But he was needed back East, as his spy network was still situated in Spring Country. So now, he is working with the intelligence network out of the Pekara Merchant House in Spring, still independent. Aside from the Fire Lord, he also sends me intel regarding movements regarding Iwa, Kumo and Konoha. **_

_**Inoichi Yamanaka is at home with the IDF's Interrogation and Torture Division. When he resigned, he brought Ibiki Morino, Anko Mitarashi and all of Konoha's Interrogation Division with him. Zabuza found a friendly rival in Ibiki. They both can be seen at the bar trading war stories and slamming back tall glasses of beer at the end of the day. Ino, on the other hand, enjoys working at the hospital. One day, as Hinata and I made our rounds through the capital, we both spied Haku and Ino having lunch together at the local barbecue shack.**_

_**Just recently, Inoichi has reopened his flower shop with his wife and Ino. Kimon City was lacking in that department, and almost immediately, the Yamanaka Flower Shop turned out to be a huge success with the people.**_

_**Shikaku Nara is now the vice-commander of the Jounin forces in the IDF, his authority second to Roh Shainto's father, Commander Jiro Shainto. Those two are opposites, but Jiro can see that the lazy Nara is a gifted tactician. The area in which the Nara Clan had settled in is known for its deer. Something that Shikaku easily fell back on, given how he herds deer in his spare time. The Nara were also known to be expert herbalists, of which the Akimichi obtained their special pills and the Inuzuka military pills from. Old habits die hard in this case. **_

_**Shikaku's knowledge in herbal medicines can prove to be invaluable to the Imperial Forces in the long run, which is why I allowed him to resume his research into his herbal medicine. The Southern Region's island chain has several herbs I know that will interest him very well, which is why I allowed him to have several Pekara merchants to deliver the herbs to him. As for his son, maybe I have a sadistic side to me. I think Kitami and Zabuza has definitely rubbed off on me. I assigned Shikamaru to act as my proxy in the Suna Consulate...which means he has to deal with Temari. **_

_**Which leads me to the Akimichi. Chouza works alongside Shikaku in the IDF. Han had picked a fight with him while he was passing through the Imperial Capital on his way to the Southern Region to visit Roshi. The fight took place at Training Ground No.28, where the already established clans and the Konoha refugees watched the ensuing fight.**_

_**Suffice to say, the training ground was leveled, and the match ended in a draw. But Chouza had earned the respect of the former Iwa ninja. And even though Han would not admit it, he was impressed with the Akimichi's skills. His son works at the ninja academy alongside Tenten, Rock Lee and Maito Gai, Chouji teaching basic taijutsu, a skill he excelled in back in Konoha. **_

_**Moving down the line – Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi. Given Asuma's background as a bodyguard for the Fire Lord, he was the ninth member of the Elite Guards. Almost immediately, he picked up a rival in Roh Shainto. Oh, and concerning him and Maru, I did keep my word and talked to Maru about his uncle being here. Maru was still upset over the fact that Asuma was here, but deep down, he was still hurting.**_

_**So I came up with a plan. What can I say, I'm still unpredictable. I had Asuma and Maru face off in a match. If Asuma won, then both he and Maru will sit down and talk. If Maru won, then Asuma would no longer bother him. Maru won and when it looked like the bonds that held the Sarutobi clan would forever be severed, Maru relented. Uncle and nephew sat down and talked inside the reception room. I am glad to say that Maru has reconciled with his uncle. Little Hitomi likes her big cousin as well. **_

_**Kurenai had been teaching at the Konoha Academy in intermediate and advanced genjutsu. When her successor at the Kimon Imperial Academy had retired days before the Konoha refugees' arrival, she had overheard about he vacant position and had put in for it. Hinata talks to her on occasion as she teaches a course twice a week on weapons combat. I also teach at the academy, only I teach philosophy.**_

_**Next on the list – the Hyuuga Clan. Who'd have thought that Neji and Tenten had hooked up? I suspect that one of the reasons why Neji decided to come here was to avoid his child being branded with the Caged Bird Seal. That and the Cadet Branch clan would be allowed to flourish in the Unified West without the hindrance of the Main Branch. As I've mentioned earlier, because of his leadership skills, the Cadet Branch – no, that's not right, make that the Western Branch of the Hyuuga appointed Neji as clan head. **_

_**The former Cadet Branch numbered 80 in total, with half of that number Chuunin and Jounin level ninja. For them, I assigned them to the military police division, which patrolled the streets of Kimon City and the port. Neji, on the other hand, opted to work at the Imperial Academy alongside Rock Lee and Maito Gai as taijutsu teachers, while Tenten was a weapons instructor. In her part time, she also operated a weapons shop, catering to both samurai and ninja alike. **_

_**The Inuzuka were still high on my shit list, but that still didn't mean that they could make themselves useful. For Tsume and that boneheaded son of hers, they both were assigned to the IDF's Tracker Division. Hana worked as an assistant veterinarian. Let Kiba and Tsume chase down bandits and highwaymen for the next year. See how they like it. **_

_**Next, are the Aburame. I forgot to mention that there is a clan similar to the Aburame, as they also deal with bugs. Only difference was that instead of kikachu bugs, the Yokoyama clan used Lahja Giant Hornets. Reminds me of Iwa's Kamizuru clan, who also uses attack bees. Only difference was the Lajha Giant Hornet is as big as your thumb and rather drain your chakra, it poisons you to death. Pretty useful for the Recon Division, which is where Shibi and Shino ended up. **_

_**Of course, once in a while, I had to use the famed Ino-Shika-Cho trio – both generations – to put down the occasional brigand or for an escort mission to the Southern Region. At least they get to travel, so they really can't complain. **_

_**As for my former teammates, the idiot Hatake and the Last Uchiha, I originally planned on assigning them to Zabuza's Demon Brigade, but decided against it. Tsunade had told me that Sasuke was training to become a member of the ANBU before the Exodus, so I assigned the both of them to the IDF's Second Division under General Kibagami. I still get bad memories whenever I see those two, so I avoid them as much as possible. But Hinata was right about one thing. Sooner or later, I will have to deal with the Uchiha, one way or another.**_

_**Maybe I'll deal with him once the Imperial Tournaments are over. **_

_**Entry 2:**_

_**The Imperial Tournaments in South Ichiyama always draw a big crowd from both the East and the West. Ninja, samurai and fighters from the Empire and the East all come for a week-long tournament to see who is the best of the best. Aside from the major tournament here, we also hold regional tournaments in both regions, to keep the fighters' skills sharp. Just in case war rears its ugly head once again. **_

_**Plus, the masses always love a good fight. But something unexpected happened.**_

_**Sasuke had signed on to compete in the tournament. **_

_**I had fought the Uchiha twice – at the Valley of the End, and in Suna once the Chuunin Exams were completed. Now, he is taking on the finest the Unified West has to offer. And if by some stroke of luck he makes it to the finals, then he has to fight A, who is the current champion.**_

_**Aside from Hinata and myself, Tsunade and Jiraiya were also present, as were Damiyo Fujikaze, the major clan heads form the North and South Regions, and the Konoha heads. Aside from Sasuke, Neji and Rock Lee also signed up for the tournament. Those three have their work cut out for them.**_

_**Entry 3:**_

_**During the tournament, an envoy from Iwa arrived seeking an audience with me and Hinata. The envoy was led by the recent;y-elected Tsuchikage herself, Onoki's granddaughter Kurotsuchi. Looks like Danzou let it slip that I was the Emperor of the West, and that my father was Minato Namikaze, hoping that Iwa would take me out of the picture.**_

_**Our meeting was an interesting one, to say the least.**_

* * *

><p>[Flashback]<p>

_South Ichiyama, Southern Region_

_The largest city in the Southern Region, South Ichiyama was home to the week-long Imperial Tournament, of which the Emperor and Empress Consort were present, taking in the tournament fights with great interest. _

_However, Naruto and Hinata were not at the stadium, since the tournaments were over for the night. The Emperor and Empress Consort was called into an emergency sit-down with an envoy from Iwa, led by the Godaime Tsuchikage herself, Kurotsuchi._

_Naruto was no fool. Which is why he had Tsunade and the Elite Guards here, just in case things degenerated. The Emperor and Empress Consort were in the reception room of the Ichiyama Hotel, seated in chairs. Kurotsuchi herself was also seated, her squad of jounin-level ninja flanking her as well._

_Naruto was in his usual black attire, the longcoat casually slung over his chair, while his wife looked stunning in her chesogam dress. The Godaime Tsuchikage was in her robes of state, while her ninja were in their standard Jounin attire. _

"_So is it true?" Kurotsuchi asked. "Are you the son of Minato Namikaze?"_

"_I am," Naruto calmly replied._

_The Iwa ninja whispered among each other, while Kurotsuchi remained calm. "So why is the son of our most hated enemy the Emperor of the Unified West?"_

"_I was banished from Konoha eight years ago, so I have no love for Konoha," Naruto replied. "Especially for their current Hokage. Tsunade and a number of Konoha ninja are here because she asked for asylum, rather than serve under an oppressive and corrupt government."_

"_That, I have to agree with you," Kurotsuchi said. "In fact, it was an envoy from Konoha who had notified us about you."_

"_Knowing Danzou, he hoped that Iwa would try and go to war with the Unified West," Naruto pointed out. "Danzou hates me because he wanted me as Konoha's weapon, but he despises Iwa and Kumo more, as he wishes to rule not only Konoha, but he could be an even bigger threat to the East than I could be."_

_The Godaime cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"_

_Naruto leaned back in his seat. "I have no intentions of invading the West, as I have told your grandfather when he came to Suna following the Akatsuki invasion. I am very content with my life here."_

_Kurotsuchi studied the younger man for a long moment. "You may be the son of the Yellow Flash, but I mistrust Danzou even more. The war with Kumo and Oto has pretty much left the Stone with less than half of its forces. Kumo is even worse off than we are. If you agree to leave Iwa in peace, I promise you as Godaime Tsuchikage not to interfere with your Pekara Merchants, nor your allies in the East."_

_Naruto and Hinata exchanged whispers for a moment before Naruto turned back to Kurotsuchi. "As long as you don't interfere with Suna, Wave or Spring, we will not attack Iwa. Konoha is fair game, but not the Fire Capital itself or the Damiyo, as he was the one who kept me out of the Bingo Book. Honor my requests, and I will not attack."_

"_My grandfather was right about you," Kurotsuchi said. "You are indeed a wise and sensible ruler. I will honor your requests in exchange for Iwa's safety."_

_Naruto nodded. "Go in peace, Lady Tsuchikage."_

[End Flashback]

* * *

><p><em><strong>I sent an Imperial envoy to Iwa with the nonaggression pact, of which Kurotsuchi had signed. Iwa is out of the equation. Kumo is not that big of a threat, so I decided to leave them alone. But...if they attack Spring...then all bets are off.<strong>_

_**Entry 4:**_

_**Sasuke Uchiha has blown through the competition. Only Takuma Chiba had given him a serious challenge. He has improved greatly since our last encounter. Who knows...if he defeats A, he might challenge me next. But as he fought his way through the tournament, I can see the determination in his eyes. **_

_**I should know, since I had the same look in my own eyes when I united the West. Just as I was the hope for the people of the West, he holds the hope of the Konoha refugees on his shoulders. Maybe the Will of Fire is still alive in the Uchiha after all.**_

_**Entry 5:**_

_**The tournament is over. Sasuke Uchiha is the new champion. A had given it his all, but Sasuke had pulled through. The strange thing about it is that he had only one request, of which was relayed to me by the proctor. Sasuke wanted an audience with the Emperor – in other words, me. **_

_**My first response to his request was no, but then that would make me a hypocrite, seeing as how I managed to get Maru and Asuma talking again. But it was Granny Tsunade that had talked me into making my peace with Sasuke. She told me that he was disgusted with how the civilian council had treated me just for doing my job. Kinda ironic how the one person I despise the most saw me not as the Nine-Tails, but as a loyal ninja to the Leaf.**_

_**I hope I will not regret this, as I agreed to the meeting. I will arrange to meet with my former teammate at the Imperial Complex's private gardens once we return to Kimon. I still mistrust him after all this time, but I have put Konoha behind me. I am not the demon brat that they made me. Here, I am respected and loved by all. **_

_**I really, really hope that I am not going to regret this.**_

* * *

><p>Imperial Complex – Palace Gardens<p>

Two days had passed since Sasuke had made the request following his victory at the Imperial Tournament. Since then, he had slowly gained the respect of not only his fellow refugees, as well as the admiration of the people of Kimon. It had also gained the attention of a young kunoichi who worked alongside the last Uchiha, a fire user like himself, and also the last of her clan. The attraction was mutual to Sasuke.

Then Asuma dropped by his dorm that morning to deliver a message: he was to escort Sasuke to the Imperial Complex for his meeting with the Emperor. His C.O. was already notified, and Sasuke was in the clear.

The younger Jounin was then taken to the Imperial Complex, and told to wait for the Emperor in the Palace Gardens. Located at the back of the complex, Naruto had it done for Hinata as a wedding gift (think Shang Tsung's Palace Gardens – without the Outworld-related stuff in it and the statues), seeing as how his wife loved flowers. Even Sasuke was impressed with the beauty of the gardens. Not even Konoha had something like this.

"The samurai believe that a perfect blossom is a rare thing."

Sasuke turned around at the sound of the voice. Leaning up against the tree, dressed in his standard black attire, sans the longcoat, was his former teammate.

Arms folded across his chest, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze remained at his spot, looking at the sakura trees that Sasuke was admiring earlier. "For them, they could spend their entire lives looking for the perfect blossom, and for them, it would not be a wasted life." He straightened himself up and walked towards his teammate. "I had this place created for Hinata when we were married. She loves it here."

Sasuke nodded, noticing for the first time that Naruto was taller than he was, if only slightly. "It's very beautiful."

"For the record, I still don't trust you," Naruto continued. "I almost refused this meeting outright. But after I managed to get Maru and Asuma back talking again, that would make me a hypocrite. So, here I am. What do you want, Uchiha?"

"I came to ask for your forgiveness," Sasuke replied. "For what had happened at the Valley of the End...and for causing your banishment."

"You didn't cause my banishment. Danzou, those two old geezers who were Sarutobi's teammates, the banshee's mother and Hiashi were responsible for that. The only thing I was guilty of was just doing my job. But answer me this...why? Why run to Orochimaru, and risk being labeled as a missing-ninja, when you had everything back in Konoha? You were the little prince, and what was I? The demon brat, the dead last."

Sasuke took the Emperor's verbal barrage pretty well. "I...I guess I really have no excuse for what I did. I wanted the power needed to kill my brother, and Orochimaru was the best idea at the time. I didn't know that my actions would end up destroying Cell Seven. It was after you were banished, while I was holed up in the hospital, that I realized something. You may have been the dobe of the Rookie Eleven, but you never did quit. Tsunade told me about you being the jinchuuriki to the Nine-Tails, and even a blind man could see that you are not the fox incarnate. Otherwise, you would have pulled a Gaara and long since burned Konoha to the ground."

'Glad to see you're not as stupid as the scarecrow and the banshee,' Naruto thought. He then asked, "Why did you come here?"

"Redemption, mostly," the Uchiha replied. "When Konoha was originally founded, Madara had nothing to his name. Now, history repeats itself. Only this time, I will not make the same mistakes Madara, Itachi, nor my father had made. You killed Itachi, something that I could never do. You pretty much have a habit of making the impossible possible. But the most important reason why I came here was to counter Madara's prophecy – the Curse of Hatred."

"Curse of Hatred?" Naruto repeated.

"The Six Paths Sage adopted two boys – the eldest would be known as the clan ancestor of the Uchiha, the younger the clan ancestor of the Senju. Even though the boys were not related by blood, the Six Paths Sage trained them both in the Shinobi arts. When the Six Paths Sage was dying, he made the younger brother – the Senju – his chosen heir, because he held the ideas of which Hashirama Senju would base his ideas regarding the Will of Fire."

"The Uchiha clan head did not take that very well, I suspect?"

"Yeah. The Uchiha felt cheated out of his birthright, and waged war against the Senju. Thus began a cycle of hatred that transcended history, culminating in the mutual hostility between the Uchiha and Senju. Madara and Fugaku believed that the Uchiha would end up fighting the Senju to the death. You, being a descendant of the Senju through your mother's side, and me being the last Uchiha, Madara believed that is was fate that we would end up fighting to the death."

"So you knew about Madara?"

Sasuke nodded. "He came to me, shortly before the Suna-Akatsuki War, and led me to the underground chambers inside the main house of the Uchiha. There, he explained it all to me, that I was destined to fight you until one of us died. Before that, I found the papers regarding my father's plans for the attempted coup. Madara had used Itachi to slaughter the clan. Itachi was good, but he was no match for the Eternal Magenkyou Sharingan."

"What do you think?" Naruto asked.

"I think you said it best before you fought Neji in Tea Country. 'There is no such thing as Fate. There is only choice.' It was my choice to reject the Curse of Hatred, because it had all but brought the Uchiha to ruin. It was my choice to leave Konoha rather than to serve under Danzou. And it was my choice to come here asking for your forgiveness. You offered my friendship, and I ended up shoving a Chidori into your chest as a result."

Much to Naruto's surprise, Sasuke went down on one knee.

"Emperor Namikaze, I Sasuke Uchiha, do formally dedicate myself and the Uchiha Clan into the service of the Unified West. I will not make the same mistakes that my father and Madara had made. If you ask it, I will even give you my life."

For one full minute, Naruto looked at Sasuke. Then he ordered him to rise.

"I'm not going to have you killed, Sasuke. I'm not a bloodthirsty butcher. But like I've told the clans when I summoned them here, you must earn your redemption. But coming here and admitting your faults...that did take major courage from your part. I guess we both had some growing up to do. Ironically, Konoha was holding me back from reaching my true potential. So the banishment was a blessing in disguise. You've earned my forgiveness, but what I've said about your redemption will remain."

Sasuke bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Naruto waved him off. "Don't bother with that. Most people around here call me Chief. Goes back to when I was uniting the lands. There's something you should know about Shimura, before I forget. He has the Sharingan."

Sasuke's eyes went wide. "What? Are you sure?"

The Emperor nodded. "One implanted in his left eye, which he keeps concealed by his bandages, and a mechanical arm loaded with ten of them. He must have gotten them after the Uchiha Massacre. He was no match for my Fox Eye, though. But he is still more dangerous than ever."

"Will you go to war against Konoha?"

"I hope not, but the Rokudaime and his lackeys still has it in for me, despite me being the Emperor. He tried to invade Wave, but I managed to convince Tazuma to allow my units to destroy the bridge. Wave is safe for the time being. But sooner or later, the Unified West will be forced into a showdown with Konoha. By that time, the Fire Lord would have been finished with the creation of his new village and will strip Konoha of its hidden village status."

"A fate worse than death for a shinobi village, I'm sure." Sasuke replied. "If Konoha's status as a shinobi village is removed, then they will lose all perks and benefits that comes with the rights of being a Shinobi village. No military aid, no shinobi...Danzou and Hiashi will flip out if that happens."

Before the conversation could continue, one of the Imperial Ninja who was assigned to the complex appeared via shunshin. "Lord Namikaze, your wife is waiting for you inside the council chambers. The other council members are starting to arrive."

Naruto dismissed the ninja. Naruto dismissed him as well. "This meeting is over. Return to your post, Uchiha."

Once Sasuke was gone, Naruto addressed the third party that was watching from the shadows. "You think he was telling me the truth?"

Kitami appeared from behind the tree she was hiding.

"He sounded sincere, but only time will tell whether or not he will prove his worth," the Nine-Tails replied. "I'm surprised you didn't end up fighting him,"

Naruto chuckled as both he and Kitami walked up the pathway. "Are you kidding? Hinata would be pretty pissed if someone trashed her gardens. Seeing Hinata mad with her Bykaugan activated is something no one wants to see."

"True," Kitami said. "I do believe she did that on you several times."

* * *

><p>It had taken them a week, traveling from Spring Country to catch a boat, but the Konoha envoy had finally arrived in the Imperial Capital.<p>

Sakura Haruno and Honmura Mitokado – both representing the Konoha Council and the Konoha Mercantile Guild and Hanabi Hyuuga, along with their escort, three Konoha ANBU and three Hyuuga Ninja, took in the sights of the Imperial Capital as they made their way to the Imperial Complex.

Danzou and the Konoha Council had made it clear. This was an SS-class mission of the utmost importance. The Konoha envoy was to set their demands down upon the Demon Emperor and his whore. Failure to comply would result in a declaration of war upon the United West and their allies.

Unknown to them, someone from Konoha had saw their arrival. As they passed the Suna Consulate, Shikamaru had noticed the Konoha envoy and after excusing himself, ran for the Imperial Complex.

* * *

><p>Inside the Imperial Council chambers, Naruto and Hinata was looking over the reports regarding the medic-ninja corps program that Tsunade had developed along with Kokoro Yamada. Ino Yamanaka stood before the Imperial Council, having delivered the reports herself from the hospital.<p>

Despite having united the West, Naruto still had to contend with uprisings from highwaymen, bandits, and remnants in both regions looking for their own slice of the pie. Naruto's methods in dealing with men like these were simple: lay down your arms, join the Unified West and enjoy the benefits and perks of serving under him, or face complete destruction.

The smart ones chose to join up, while those continued to fight...and were summarily annihilated.

"The Imperial Medic-Ninja program started by Lady Tsunade and Lady Yamada has proven to produce very effective results," Naruto said as he passed the reports down to Hinata and A. "With each squad having a medic-ninja, casualties will be down by more than half. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Chief," Ino replied. She had heard that Naruto preferred to be called, Chief, rather than the more formal 'Your Imperial Majesty.' She had also seen how he was a hard-working, and just emperor. Not to mention that Hinata had made an excellent match for him.

But things between her and Haku were taking off as well.

Before the meeting could continue, Asuma Sarutobi rushed inside the room, followed by a breathless Shikamaru Nara. "Lord Namikaze...Lady Namikaze..." Shikamaru panted. "Troublesome..."

"What is it?" Hinata asked.

"There's an envoy from Konoha on their way here," Asuma reported. "Shikamaru saw them as they passed the Suna Consulate. He just told me. Nine in total, Lord Namikaze. Sakura Haruno, Honmura Mitokado, Hanabi Hyuuga, and six ninja – three from Konoha ANBU and the other three from the Hyuuga. They should be here in less than ten minutes."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, as did Hinata's. Kitami and A were both wondering if Konoha had a death wish. The council members whispered among themselves. Ino gasped, as their past was about to come back to haunt them with a vengeance.

Naruto immediately took action. "Have the Complex guards on standby in case they try anything," he ordered. "Asuma, rally the Guards and tell them to come here immediately."

Naruto and Hinata were not taking any chances. The nine-member team of elite bodyguards were stationed behind the Emperor and Empress Consort, ready to defend their Emperor and Empress from any threats. Kitami was also present, having changed out of her kimono and into her ninja uniform.

"You'd think they'd learn by now..." Naruto mused.

"Hmm?" Hinata turned to her husband.

"You think Konoha would learn that they are not the strongest village anymore. Oh well, I'll send word to the Fire Lord and tell him to proceed with the plan. But first, we need to deal with our guests."

They didn't have to wait for very long, as one of the valets had led the Konoha envoy inside the council chambers. Honmura, Sakura and Hanabi were shocked once the news that Naruto was the Emperor of the Unified West was released, but seeing him seated with Hinata at his side was indeed something that were not expecting. Even more, they had been led to the council chambers, of which all of the council members had either cross nor angry looks on their faces.

The six ninja remained at the door while the three representatives stepped forward and stopped in front of the table containing the Emperor, the Empress Consort, his Chief Prime Minister and his Chief Adviser.

Naruto glared back at the intruders who dared to arrive uninvited at his doorstep. They glared back at him.

"You are guests in my home," Naruto noted. "The least you can do is show the proper respect for your betters."

"You are no better than us, you..." Sakura began before she was silenced by Honmura.

"As I've said," Naruto repeated. "You are guests in my home, and in my Empire. You should choose your words very carefully, otherwise you will not return to Konoha alive. You are outnumbered, as my council not only advises me in all things pertaining to the Unified West, but can kill each and every one the Konoha ninja a hundred times over."

That very much was true. Despite having the elite Konoha ANBU and the best of the Hyuuga ninja backing them up, the Konoha ninja were still outnumbered.

Honmura straightened himself up and retrieved a scroll. "Naruto Uzumaki, I bring word from the Rokudaime Hokage, Danzou Shimura." He unrolled the scroll and began to read off from it. "By order of the Rokudaime Hokage and the Council of Konoha, Tsunade Senju and Jiraiya, along with the clans and high-ranking Chuunin and Jounin are declared traitors to the Leaf and are ordered to return to Konohagakure no Sato to face charges of desertion and dereliction of duty.

"Second, the Pekara Merchant House is to be liquidated, its income and properties are now the property of Asana Haruno and the Konoha Mercantile Guild. Third, by order of the Rokudaime Hokage and Hyuuga Clan Head, Hiashi Hyuuga, your marriage to Hinata Hyuuga is declared null and void, and Hinata is to immediately return to Konohagakure no Sato to face the Hyuuga Clan's justice."

At that, Ryuji and Haruka snorted. Hinata on the other hand looked amused.

Honmura continued reading. "Fourth, all monies from the Senju accounts and any and all monies from the Namikaze clan as well as all jutsu taken from the Konoha Library, as well as the Forbidden Scroll are forfeit and to be returned to the Leaf effective immediately. This also include all monies which you have gained as...'Emperor of the Unified West,' including said accounts in Spring and Tea Countries. Fifth, under the Konoha Clan Restoration Act, Sasuke Uchiha is to be married to Sakura Haruno upon his return to Konohagakure no Sato in order to preserve the Sharingan. You are to also surrender the names of your shinobi and samurai clans and send them to Konoha in order for the Leaf to regain her standing as the strongest of of the Shinobi villages."

The gathered council members looked at Honmura as if he had lost his mind.

Honmura finally got to the last part of the scroll. "And last...you, Naruto Uzumaki, the Demon of Konoha, are to abdicate your throne and return to Konohagakure no Sato to face a war tribunal for crimes against the Leaf. The Jinchuuriki under your control are also under the control of Konohagakure no Sato, and are to be initiated into the ANBU." He looked up rolled up the scroll. "So ordered by the Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha, Danzou Shimura."

Honmura handed over the scroll to the nearby valet, who in turn handed it over to the Emperor, who looked the scroll over, alongside Hinata and A.

"And what is to happen to the clan heads upon returning to Konoha?" Hinata asked.

"They will be executed as an example to show that desertion from the Leaf will not be tolerated, and their children will be initiated into the ANBU," Honmura replied. "Hiashi will personally execute Neji Hyuuga and the Branch Council."

"You think you can just waltz into my home uninvited with your paper shield and make such ridiculous demands of myself and of the Unified West?" Naruto asked as he shoved the scroll to the side. "And what makes you think that I, let alone my wife will bow to your demands?"

"If you do not wish to see your allies in Wave or the Spring Damiyo suffer the wrath of Konoha once we invade, you will make the right decision and submit to the will of the Leaf," Sakura shot back. She then got a real evil smile on her face. "Does this council know about your tenant? That you are the Nine-Tails reborn? I'm willing to bet that they would hand you over when they find out how much of a demon you are."

Much to her surprise, Naruto glared back at her without fear. "They already know about me being the Jinchuuriki. Or former Jinchuuriki. I freed the Nine-Tails from the seal a long time ago." He jerked a thumb in Kitami's direction. "She's seated beside me."

Sakura, Hanabi and Honmura looked at the stunning redhead, who was rising from her seat, then back at the smug Emperor. They thought that Kiba was lying about the Nine-Tails being a redhead in human form. The killer intent washed over the Konoha envoy. Even the Hyuuga and ANBU were taken aback by the bijuu queen's aura. Then they saw the nine fox tails emerge from her backside.

And they knew what Naruto was said was indeed true. All this time, they had abused the boy all for nothing. The same boy that was the son of the Yondaime.

"Be careful who you insult, Sakura Haruno," Kitami warned. "You may not like the consequences of your actions."

The six ninja went for their weapons, but Honmura ordered them to stay their hands. The fact that Naruto was not the demon fox had definitely complicated things.

"Danzou must have balls as big as temple bells to think he can boss me around, despite orchestrating my banishment alongside Hiashi, your buddy on the council, and that harpy of a Haruno."

At that, Honmura's eyes went wide.

"Of course I know," Naruto continued. "I found out after the Suna-Akatsuki War. I could have had Tsunade kill all of you at that time, or better yet, I could have you executed, then invade Konoha and finish what the Nine-Tails have started. It took me getting tossed on my ass to see that the corruption in Konoha is far too deep. And here you are, in my home, making demands as if I was a genin...the nerve."

"You have no choice in the matter," Sakura sneered. "Are you willing to risk the destruction of your allies?"

"No, because Konoha is weak," Naruto replied. "Your threats are as empty as the village's soul. Tell me...did you manage to regain any of the alliances you had because of me? No? I thought as much. These past eight years have all but weakened Konoha. Hell, even Kumo and Iwa could invade the Leaf and still win."

"As for your demands," Hinata chimed in, "you can take them and shove it."

"You have no choice in the matter," Hanabi shot back.

"There's always a choice," A said. "You just made the wrong one in thinking you can make demands of the Emperor."

"That emperor is a genin of Konohagakure no Sato!" Honmura shouted, pointing at the Emperor.

"Oh, so now that I am the most powerful man in the West with an army, not to mention giving Konoha one black eye after the other by defeating Konoha's finest am I a genin? I don't answer to Konoha, its Rokudaime Hokage, or to any of you. The Unified West does not recognize the authority of Konohagakure no Sato, not its council or the likes of you."

"Then you will risk having Konoha invade Wave and Spring," Hanabi pointed out.

"Oh, you are such a fool, Hanabi," Hinata said. "Danzou tried to send a invading force to Wave, but we ended up destroying the bridge. Spring Country's hidden shinobi village is up and running, has been for the past five years, and will defend their land and their Damiyo from any and all threats. Mist and Suna will decimate your forces while we will sit back and watch. Your forces have been weakened, and would not stand even a siege, so don't you dare make demands of us."

Honmura knew that Hinata was right. He had hoped that Danzou's bluff could force the Unified West into capitulation, but he could see that it had failed. Konoha had fallen from grace the past eight years when Naruto was banished. The exodus of the village's most powerful clans and ninja has left Konoha on the brink.

"Furthermore, the Konoha refugees are under the protection of the Unified West," Naruto continued. "The Pekara Merchant House will not surrender its resources nor its wars to the banshee's mother. And I will not hand over the fortunes of the Namikaze clan...**my** clan."

"You are no Namikaze," Honmura grated. "You're just an orphan, a nobody!"

Naruto didn't stop. "We can care less what Konoha and Hiashi could think about our marriage. And we will not surrender our clans nor will I surrender the Jinchuuriki for Danzou's intentions. Last, I will not abdicate my throne." He rose from his seat. "You think you can dictate orders to me like a genin? I can kill you myself and send your bodies back to the warhawk as a warning. But I will not do that."

"You're going to let us go?" Hanabi asked.

"No. You are going to spend time inside the Imperial Dungeons," Hinata replied. "You will stay there for the night, and afterward, you will return home."

"I suggest you do what is good for you and allow us to walk out of here," Honmura replied. "Otherwise you will have a bloodbath on your hands. The ninja here are Konoha Elite. Do you think you have a chance against us?"

Naruto looked amused. Then he activated a hidden seal.

Honmura, Sakura and Hanabi, as well as the six ninja fell to their knees, as the chakra-draining seals took effect, draining their bodies of energy, but not killing them. Once the Konoha ninja were effectively disabled, a squad of Imperial ninja entered the room, stripped the Konoha envoy of their weapons, and hauled them out of the council chambers.

Naruto grinned as Sakura shouted death curses at him and Hinata. The seal was a basic one, yet effective. It was something that he had used before during the Unification Wars, and it had saved his life on many an occasion. Hinata looked at her husband, her expression mirroring that of her husband.

"You truly are unpredictable, love," Hinata said.

"And you love me for it," was the Emperor's reply. He retrieved the Konoha scroll. "This can be useful to our advantage."

"How?"

"Easy. The clans from Konoha and the ninja will need to know about this." Naruto turned to Asuma. "I want all clans and ninja assembled in the North Kimon Public Assembly in one hour. Make it so, Sarutobi."

Asuma bowed. "Yes, Chief."

"What are you going to do?" Sonshi asked after Asuma had left.

"Cement the loyalty of the refugees to my cause," Naruto replied as he retrieved his longcoat and slipped it over his shoulders. "This meeting is adjourned. A, Kitami, Hinata, you're with me."

* * *

><p>North Kimon Public Assembly, one hour later...<p>

Before Kimon had expanded into a city, the assembly once served as its town square. Then Rokubungi Oda had moved in and expanded Kimon City tenfold. Now, the public assembly was filled with the Konoha refugees, with the clan heads taking the front. Sasuke Uchiha stood beside Neji Hyuuga and Tsume Inuzuka, curious as to why the Emperor has called for a meeting of the Konoha refugees.

Standing in the clearing, longcoat fluttering in the gentle wind, Naruto scanned the gathered audience. The clan heads and their families were present, as were the chuunin and jounin, some of which were on the rooftops, looking down at him. Even Tsunade and Jiraiya stood among the clans, wondering what Naruto had up his sleeve. Hinata was at his side, while Kitami and A remained behind.

"Less than two hours ago, an envoy from Konohagakure no Sato arrived on my doorstep," Naruto began, his voice radiating power. He brandished the scroll. "They came to the Imperial Capital, and entered our home uninvited to order me and my wife around, making demands that I cannot and will not meet."

He tossed the scroll to Jiraiya, who unrolled it and began to read it alongside Tsunade. "The Rokudaime Hokage has declared all of you traitors to the Leaf, and has ordered your return to the Leaf, where the clan heads will face execution, and their children will be forcibly initiated into his ROOT ANBU."

A chorus of "No!" erupted from the ninja.

"He and Hiashi Hyuuga have declared my marriage to Hinata invalid and have ordered her to return to Konoha, where she will most likely face death. They have also declared that Sasuke Uchiha is to be married to Sakura Haruno in order to preserve the Sharingan."

At that, Sasuke blanched.

"They also demanded the liquidation of the Pekara Merchant House in order to line the pockets of the Konoha Mercantile Guild," Naruto continued, his voice unwavering, "as well as any and all monies from your clans, the Senju Clan and the Namikaze clans forfeit! Danzou also demands that I send the clans of the Unified West, as well as the Jinchuuriki under my banner to Konoha for the purpose of regaining the strength that it had lost through their own actions! And last, they demand that I give up my throne, and return to Konoha to face war crimes!"

By that time, the scroll had passed onto the elder Ino-Shika-Cho trio. The scroll contained the Hokage insignia, as well as Danzou's signature. It had all but verified Naruto's claims.

"Even now, Konoha curses my existence. Danzou wanted me as a mindless weapon when I was growing up, and following the Uchiha Retrieval Mission, had me banished when he saw that I could not be controlled. Even now, after the Suna-Akatsuki War, he has seen me as a credible threat. I have no intention of going to war, but I will defend not only my interests back in the East, but my allies as well. He believes that a Ninja should kill their emotions. I believe otherwise. It what makes us human."

"Oh, he knows how to work it," Jiraiya whispered to Tsunade, noticing that the young Emperor's charismatic side was starting to emerge.

"I have no intentions of invading Konoha, or anywhere else in the East," Naruto continued. "I am very content with what I have in the West. But if Danzou continues down this path, he will be dealt with extreme prejudice. You still have your concerns with coming here, and that is understandable. But I have to know...where does your loyalties lie?"

Jiraiya noticed that Naruto did not say 'himself or Konoha.' That was a smart move. Then he saw Shikaku step forward to face the Emperor.

"You could have destroyed Konoha at any given moment," the Nara clan head said. "You could have wiped all of us out out of spite. But you didn't. You and your old man are a rare breed. You don't let the past dictate your actions in the present. After seeing that scroll and what Danzou tried to do to our kids, I'll take my chances here."

"Same here," Inoichi said.

"Me too," Chouza added.

"You showed me twice that no one is bound to Fate," Neji said. "You truly can make the impossible possible, regardless of your lot in life. There is nothing left for us back in Konoha. My allegiance is with the Unified West."

"You have the Inuzuka at your command," Tsume said. "Nara was right. Despite our earlier threats to kill you, you did not hold it against us. Konoha has indeed lost the Will of Fire. But it lives here."

"My father loved Konoha," Asuma continued, "but he would be appalled as to what it had become. The Sarutobi Clan is at the service of the Unified West."

Shibi and Shino exchanged glances. Then the elder Aburame spoke. "The Aburame Clan is at the Unified West's disposal."

Someone in the back then chanted Naruto's name. Seconds later, the clans and everyone else were chanting his name, in a show of support for the United West.

Jiraiya watched all of this with a broad smile on his face. 'Oh the kid **definitely** knows how to work the crowd,' he thought. He made a mental note to talk to him later about taking over as the next Toad Sage.

* * *

><p>The following day...<p>

Naruto stood out in the courtyard, Hinata by his side as the Imperial Guards 'escorted' the Konoha envoy from the dungeons. Honmura, Sakura and Hanabi looked worse for the wear, while their escort looked worse for the wear. Naruto had made it where given their location of their cells, they could hear Ibiki and Zabuza's 'interrogation sessions,' as the pair was pulling an all-nighter, dealing with some highwaymen.

Psychological warfare at its finest.

"You will be sent back to Fire Country to give your report to the Rokudaime," Naruto decreed. "And give him a message for me: Any acts of aggression will result in my becoming very angry. I orchestrated the destruction of the Akatsuki, and I can do the same to Konoha."

At that, the elder and the two women gulped.

Seeing that his threat had the propet effect, Naruto turned around and activated the Fox Eye. His eyes going from cerulean to gold, he began to perform hand-seals, picking up speed, before clapping his hands, shouting: "Imperial Style: Demon's Gate Jutsu!"

Honmura, Sakura, Hanabi and the six ninja watched in awe as a massive steel gate, half the size of the main gates in Konoha, but still impressive, rose from the ground. Carved into the gates were the images of the tailed beasts from the One-Tail to the Nine-Tails. A massive lock was released and the doors flung open, releasing ice-cold air. After that, there was nothing but darkness. The Imperial Ninja and Samurai grabbed the Konoha envoy and despite their pleas, threw them through the gate. The gate then slammed shut and dissipated, its power spent.

The Demon's Gate Jutsu was one of the more powerful variants of the Hirashin. It was a time-space jutsu, designed to move a large amount of people from one place to another in far less time.

Naruto had used the Demon's Gate to send them back to the Konoha Gates. By the time Honmura would give his report, the Fire Damiyo would have come into play, and Konoha would be finished as a ninja village.

* * *

><p>Konohagakure no Sato – Council Chambers.<p>

Things had changed since Danzou had seized control of Konoha. The first thing he had done was to dissolve the council, and reformed it using nothing but loyal shinobi. The second thing he had done was to weed out any and all dissidents to his rule, and had them executed. Loyalty was to the Leaf, and to him above all else. Dissension was not tolerated. Second, he made plans to send his ROOT ANBU scouts to kidnap promising genin from the minor villages and have them brought back to Konoha, where they will be initiated into the ROOT ANBU.

Last, he sent Honmura Mitokado, Sakura Haruno and Hanabi Hyuuga with his list of demands to the United West, with the threat or war on the allies of the United West.

From the look of things, the mission was a failure.

Seated at the Hokage's chair in his robes of state, Asana Haruno, Koharu Utatane and Hiashi Hyuuga flanking him, Danzou gave the order to report, to which Honmura had done in great detail, completing the report with the threat of Naruto invading Konoha should any of his interests and/or allies are attacked.

Danzou dismissed the trio...but not before ordering the execution of the six Hyuuga Ninja and the Konoha ANBU for failing to protect the envoy. Failure was another thing that was not tolerated in Konoha. You either complete your mission...or die.

"So the Demon Emperor has refused our demands," Danzou said. "Very well. I was hoping that we could reach an agreement without any blood being spilled. But now, the time for talking is over."

"Agreed," Hiashi replied. "I propose that we set up a forward operations base in Whirlpool Country, and build up our forces there. Once our forces are strong enough, we will strike at Spring Country first."

Danzou nodded. "I agree with you, Hiashi. I will also send out my scouts to the minor villages in order to bring in some fresh recruits to rebuild Konoha's strength. It will take some time, but once Konoha is back on its feet, the shinobi world will soon fear the might of the Leaf."

After Danzou had said that a ROOT ANBU appeared via shunshin. "Lord Hokage, there is a courier ninja from the Fire Capital here to see you."

Danzou nodded and seconds later, a courier ninja entered the room. He presented a scroll to Danzou, saying, "From the Fire Lord," before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Danzou looked at the seal. It was from the Fire Lord, all right. He broke it and began to read its contents. Hiashi and Asana were reading over his shoulder...and all three were shocked as to what the scroll's contents contained.

In essence, it was Konoha's death certificate.

**_NOTICE OF LIQUIDATION_**

**_By order of the Lord of Fire Country, the village of Konohagakure no Sato is hereby stripped of hidden village status. All honors and benefits of Konohagkure no Sato are hereby revoked. This notice has been relayed to Kumo, Iwa, Suna and Mist. All military aid is hereby ceased and Konohagakure is ordered to repay the military aid given for the last six months to the Fire Lord. _**

**_All bounties and placements in the Konohagakure Bingo Book are now invalid. All shinobi clans are stripped of clan status and are ordered to surrender half of their clan's finances to Fire Country. All ninja are stripped of their ranks of Genin, Chuunin and Jounin and are declared civilians. Accountants from the Fire Capital will arrive by the end of the week in order to audit the village and to seize any assets necessary for the good of Fire Country. So ordered by the Lord of the Land of Fire._**

"Oh God...we're ruined," Koharu lamented as she grasped her chest. "We're...finished," she managed to gasped out before keeling over.

A medic-ninja who had stayed in Konoha rushed over to the frail old woman, and checked for a pulse. There was none. Koharu Utatane was dead from a heart attack, unable to face the fact that Konoha was no longer a Shinobi Village.

She turned to Danzou, Hiashi and Asana. "She's dead," the medic said.

Hiashi sank back into his seat. Ever since the founding of Konoha, the Hyuuga was one of the main noble clans. Now, the Fire Damiyo had stripped them of that honor and status. He was very, very angry.

* * *

><p>Word had spread throughout Konohagakure no Sato about the Fire Damiyo's judgment. Overnight, the Leaf Village had gone from being a shinobi village to just a plain village. Chuunin and Jounin were stripped of their ninja ranks and reduced to civilians. Some even committed suicide or fled the disgraced village, seeing as how Konoha's Bingo Book was now useless.<p>

Upon hearing the news that Konoha was no longer a Shinobi Village, Honmura had committed suicide.

As expected, the audit team had arrived in Konoha the following day. Faced with spending twenty years in prison, the remaining shinobi clans surrendered half of their wealth. That did not mean that the Konoha Mercantile Guild had came out of this unscathed either. Most of Asana Haruno's assets were liquidated and upon discovering that she had a hand in the corruption that festered around the Leaf, she was ordered to surrender seventy-five percent of her assets. Asana was all but furious. The mercantile guild's lifeblood was that of being a shinobi village. With that gone, the Konoha Mercantile Guild was finished.

Even more insulting was that the Flame Village's Hokage had signed a trade agreement with the Pekara Merchant House. The trade agreement, as she found out, made the Pekara Merchant House the main guild in the village. And the village got much needed products much cheaper than what Asana had originally sold them for.

The Haruno family had ran the guild since the village's founding, and now, with Konoha no longer a ninja village, the Konoha Mercantile Guild, as Asana knew, was finished.

* * *

><p>When Danzou personally visited the Fire Damiyo demanding an explanation, the Damiyo gave him the reason why. Konoha had become too corrupt and the Fire Lord had been working on a brand new village to replace Konoha.<p>

Tochigakure no Sato, or Fire Village. Danzou then found himself stripped of his title of Hokage, where it was later bestowed upon the new Fire Shadow of Fire Village. Now, Danzou was just a nobody from a village that had all but dug its own grave. The ROOT Commander was all but furious. He had spend decades in loyal service to the Leaf, only to have it ripped out from underneath him. So what id some people had gotten hurt or were in his way? What he had done was all for Konoha.

Upon returning to Konoha, he had sent his entire ROOT ANBU to his underground headquarters. Then, he made long term plans. Plans which include the destruction of the upstart ninja village and the assassination of the Fire Lord. Once those two were out the way, he would declare war on the one person who was the bane of his existence.

Naruto Uzumaki.

All roads led to him. Konoha's downfall had begun with him. Following orchestrating his banishment, he had resurfaced as the most powerful man on the Western continent. As Danzou watched as his world crumbled all around him, he made a solemn vow.

That vow was to wipe the Demon Emperor from this plane of existence.


	14. 7 The Final Victory

_**Chapter Seven: The Final Victory (alternative title: Konoha's Destruction)**_

Snafu's Notes: So here we are. This is the final chapter of the story. After this, is the Epilogue. Once again, special thanks to ChrisM2011 for giving me the opportunity to write this. I know I said this when I did Two on Two, but Rise of the Emperor will be my last Naruto story, hands down. I was hoping that the Ranma fanfic Pride Comes Before The Fall would make over 300 reviews, but this one just blew my other fanfics out of the water. There will be a minor time skip for this fanfic as Danzou prepares to unleash hell upon the East and upon the Unified West. So let's finish this one out strong. One more thing. I tried to write out the battle scenes, but they always did not come out right, so I had to resort with using the journal entries.

Oh, and special thanks goes to Darkmaster of the arts for giving me an idea as to how to start this off.

Imperial Complex, Kimon City – three weeks after Konoha's liquidation...

It was early in the morning and the Empress Consort of the Unified West was awake. Hinata Namikaze was lying on her side, her head propped up in her hand as she watched her husband sleep. The former Hyuuga heiress was dressed in one of her husband's old white shirts which she used as a nightgown, the shirt buttoned halfway revealing a generous amount of cleavage, and ending several inches above her knees. Her husband was naked from the waist up, on his back, still asleep.

In the two years they had been married, they had gone through some serious trials and tribulations, both in their personal and private lives. They had their arguments, and even in some cases, had to put the United West's best interests over their own. But unlike Konoha, Naruto and Hinata held the reins of power. The most recent argument they had was over the Konoha refugees, mainly the Branch Hyuuga.

Hinata had remained silent during the meeting with the deposed clans, but seeing Neji after two years...she almost lost her head. Then her husband had told him that he would remove the seal should the Hyuuga prove their worth.

Hinata wanted nothing to do with her former clan, especially, the Branch Clan, given how they had treated her when she was subjected to the Caged Bird Seal. Her original intention was to leave it on their heads as to show them who the boss was, but Naruto said something to her that made her reconsider.

"You do that, Hinata, you're no better than him."

Hinata relented, knowing full well that he was talking about her father. That was the one thing she feared the most – becoming like him, cold and emotionless. That was something that Naruto had remedied almost immediately.

"You're nothing like him, Hinata," he had told her. "You are better than him. That has already been proven in your deeds and your actions here as Empress and as my wife."

Hinata knew that he was right. She felt ashamed as to how she had thought in regards to her former clan members. Given the choice of fleeing an oppressive clan and regime, she would have left with them as well. But she sensed an ulterior motive in Neji leading the Cadet Branch to the Imperial Capital. But even she had to admit that Naruto made the right choice in keeping the clans here for their probationary period, both to keep a close watch on them and to see if they were really worthy of redemption.

"Something on you mind, Hinata?" Naruto asked, eyes closed.

"How long were you awake?" was the question.

"A while," came the reply. The Emperor opened his eyes and was soon mimicking Hinata's position on the bed. "So what's bothering you?"

"Just thinking about several things," she replied. "You have any regrets? About not making Hokage?"

"Some," he admitted. "I wanted to prove to Konoha that even the dead last can be Hokage. But after I was banished, I had to face some hard truths. Konoha would never accept me as Hokage, even if they knew who my father was. So I guess the whole banishment was a blessing in disguise. It pretty much forced me to grow up. But now, I have no regrets."

"And what about me?"

"I'm still pissed that I chased after the banshee instead of courting you. I would have done it in secret as well. I can almost imagine Hiashi's expression if he found out that I was Minato's kid. Almost made me wish I was there when Shikamaru and the others told the council who I was."

Hinata smiled. She could almost see the look on the council's face when they found out that the so-called 'Kyuubi brat' was the most powerful man in the Unified West.

"But despite how things had went down, I have no regrets," Naruto continued. "Sure we have our arguments and fights like any other couple...in some cases, you are right and in others, I'm the one who's right...but in the end, we're still together. What about you?"

Hinata scooted over closer. "If I wasn't as shy and as confident as I was now, I would have done more than just stalked you during our days as genin. But now...despite everything...I'm happy."

While they kissed, Hinata's mind raced back to the previous day, where she had gone for a routine physical down at the hospital in the Imperial Capital. Even the most powerful woman in the Unified West needed to make sure that she was in prime fighting form.

Ino had done Hinata's blood work, since Tsunade still gets squeamish at the sight of blood. She had been ill for the past several mornings and her period was late, but this had all but verified her suspicions.

She was pregnant. Pregnant with Naruto's child. Naruto has an heir to the throne.

Well, now would be as a perfect time as any to tell him.

"You look better," Naruto whispered as one hand rubbed the small of her back. "So what did Granny have to say?"

Hinata bit her bottom lip. "You're going to be a daddy, Naruto."

Naruto blinked. Then his eyes went wide. "Excuse me...what?"

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

><p>Town of Konoha, Fire Country – One year after its liquidation...<p>

One year had passed since Konoha's termination as a ninja village. Since then, the disgraced Leaf was a shadow of its former glory. Home to over one hundred clans, it now only had three, one of which was the Hyuuga.

Following the liquidation of the Konoha Mercantile Guild, Asana had fallen into madness upon losing her fortune. Upon her suicide by cyanide pill, Danzou had initiated Sakura Haruno into the ROOT ANBU and seized what remained of her fortune. For the past three years Danzou had plotted and prepared.

His ROOT ANBU now consisted of all remaining ninja who were stripped of their titles. Over four hundred ninja who remained behind when Tsunade led the Konoha Exodus, which Danzou had initiated into his ROOT ANBU. Add two hundred remnants from what used to be the Sound and numerous missing ninja, and his numbers swelled to over five hundred

Speaking of Danzou, the aforementioned warhawk was in his underground ROOT headquarters. Flanked by Sai and a second ROOT ninja, the old man strode down the hall with a purpose. After over a year of planning, he was preparing to destroy Tochigakure with his forces. The last member that he was planing to release from his private prison cell. This man has been here for the past nine years, having been captured when he became a missing-ninja, having originally defected to Orochimaru but was captured shortly thereafter when his ex-lover betrayed him.

Two more ROOT ANBU guarded the cell door. Danzou nodded and one of them unlocked the door and opened it. Inside, seated on the cot, with a special variant of the Cursed Seal on his forearm, and having gained several pounds of muscle on his frame, was a white-haired man.

"So, the big man himself decided to come and visit little old me?" the imprisoned man began. "To what I owe the honor of your visit, Shimura? Last time I checked, you were no longer the Hokage and this pathetic village was no longer a shinobi village."

"Be careful who you insult, Mizuki. Otherwise, you will not see the light of day," Danzou warned. "I could have you executed if I did not have a use for you."

This caught the disgraced ninja's attention. "Color me intrigued. Go on."

"It will take some time, but soon, I will have over a thousand ninja ready to destroy the Flame, and to kill the Fire Lord. Once the Flame Village is destroyed and its remaining ninja join my ranks, I will declare war on the Unified West. I will wipe out Spring Country and assimilate their Shinobi forces. Then I will do the same to Mist. Once I finish off Suna and their demon of a Kazekage, I will invade the United West and destroy their Demon Emperor and anyone who gets in my way."

"So you plan on making war with that runt? What's in it for me?" Mizuki asked.

"The head of Naruto Uzumaki, the Emperor himself once we invade the Unified West," Danzou replied. "Once he is dead and any offspring he had with that whore of a Hyuuga, the world will be under the banner of the Leaf. I will usher in a new golden age. I will succeed in making Konoha the strongest of the villages."

Now that caught Mizuki's attention. He had a bone to pick with him ever since the failed attempt to steal the Forbidden Scroll. Those words were music to his ears. "Okay. I'm listening."

* * *

><p>[Hinata's Diary]<p>

_**Entry 1: **_

_**Two long years. Two years had passed since Konoha was stripped of their hidden village status. Since then, life has moved on here in the West. Naruto and I had celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary, as well as the birthday of our child. **_

_**Wait a sec...I should start from the beginning. **_

_**After the destruction of the Oto-Kumo-Iwa alliance, the surviving members of the Lightning Damiyo's family returned with a small army and purged the remaining traitorous ninja from their ranks, and reestablished their rule in Lightning Country. It was once we received word of Konoha's liquidation from the Fire Damiyo, that I dropped the bomb on Naruto. I had gone for my routine physical and Tsunade, having been appointed as our private physician, had sent Ino to give me the news. **_

_**I was pregnant. **_

_**Naruto was ecstatic. It was almost as if he was a Konoha genin once again. He even leapt to the roof of the Imperial Palace and screamed the news to the capital. The guards, A and Kitami looked on, amused at my husband's antics. Then we broke the news of my pregnancy at the meeting of the Imperial Council. The council was shocked, to say the least. The Namikaze dynasty finally had an heir to the throne.**_

_**Then a literal fist fight had broken out following the declaration, over who would be the godparents of our child...until Naruto called for it to stop and announced that the godmother was Yukie, the Spring Damiyo having long since called dibs on being the godmother. Then a **_**second****_ fight broke out over who was to be the godparents of our second child. _**

"_**Honestly, Hime, they aren't usually like this," Naruto whispered to me. **_

_**I just stood there, shaking my head.**_

_**As it turns out, I was not alone in my pregnancy. While we were going through the files of the Konoha ninja and working out their assignments, Naruto found a marriage certificate with Neji and Tenten's names on it, as well as a blood test, confirming Tenten's pregnancy. Now I see why Neji decided to come here along with the rest of the Branch Clan. He wanted a better life for his child, a bird free from its cage. **_

_**Tenten was about five weeks along, meaning that she would have her child before mine. It was also because of this, I also reconciled with Neji. As expected, her son was born a month before mine. Neji named him after his father, Hizashi. Then our child was born. I think I shattered my poor husband's hand when I squeezed it too tight. **_

_**Our firstborn was a son. We named him after Naruto's father. Minato Uzumaki Namikaze. The Unified West, from the Lahja Mountains to the Tears' Point rejoiced in celebration. Yukie was giddy with delight, as she now had a godson to spoil. **_

_**Following our son's birth, Naruto stayed in the capital for the first three months. The Jinchuuriki had received word of Minato's birth and had come to pay their respects. Even Roshi and Utakata, who made his home in the Southern Region, came to visit.**_

"_**I can see it now," Naruto said to me as Yugito cradled Minato while Roshi and Han looked on in delight. "Six Jinchuuriki...five uncles and one aunt. That's not counting Yukie, Kitami and the council. He is going to be spoiled rotten."**_

"_**Guess it's up to us to make sure he's raised right," I replied. "After all, he is the heir."**_

_**When Minato was four and a half months old, the probation period was over for the Konoha Refugees. Once the probation period was over, Naruto and I had looked over their files and checked on their exploits. After talking it over, we decided to grant the Konoha families clan status and the chuunin and jounin citizenship. For Neji and the Cadet Branch of the Hyuuga, Naruto was true to his word. Not only did he granted the Hyuuga clan status with Neji as the clan head, but he also stripped them both of the Cadet Branch label and of the Caged Bird Seal.**_

_**With the downfall of the Hyuuga Clan back in Konoha, Neji is now head of the new Hyuuga Clan here in Kimon. Aside from that, Naruto had also made peace with his former sensei, Kakashi. I always thought that both him and Anko would hook up. Instead, she is seeing Zabuza. Not that Hatake is alone. His girlfriend – a civilian member of the Pekara Merchant House – just so happens to be a fan of Jiraiya's Icha Icha series. Who knew?**_

* * *

><p>Kimon City, during the Unification Festival.<p>

It was a known fact that if you were in the United West during the week-long Unification Festival, then you were in for one hell of a party.

Such as the one in the Imperial Capital. At the end of the Unification Week, a party in the market square would take place. Everyone was invited. Even the clans and the Emperor himself would attend along with his wife.

Temari was nice enough to give the Suna garrison time off to attend. Even Gaara, who was visiting the Imperial Capital on an inspection of the Suna Consulate attended. He was not alone, as he came with a companion. A Suna jounin named Matsuri. Of course, aside from the incident in which Gaara tried to use the Sand Waterfall Funeral on Shikamaru when he caught him in Temari's bed (Temari had stopped him from crushing Shikamaru, thankfully), things were pretty much routine in the Unified West.

Several of the elder Western Hyuuga members were babysitting baby Minato, baby Hizashi and several other Hyuuga newborns as their parents enjoyed themselves. Maru Sarutobi was chatting with a local girl, a ninja who worked as one of the guards at the Imperial Complex. Zabuza and Ibiki were in the middle of an arm-wrestling competition. Yukie Fujikaze – now pregnant with her first child – and her husband/bodyguard, a Special Jounin from Spring Village who she had met on the set of her last film, made an appearance.

All in all, everyone was having a blast.

Naruto and Hinata Namikaze had finally gotten to several chairs and sat down, having danced most of the night away, laughing, acting like a normal couple rather than the leaders of the Unified West.

"Have I ever told you the story about the first anniversary festival when Zabuza got drunk and tried to hit on Sana?" Naruto asked.

"The one where Sonshi chased after him with his family swords screaming bloody murder? About a dozen times," Hinata replied. "Have I ever told you that I'm pregnant?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Once," he replied.

Hinata grinned and held up two fingers. "Better make that twice, love."

It then dawned on what Naruto was saying. Hinata was pregnant. Again.

* * *

><p>[Naruto's Journal]<p>

_**Entry 1:**_

_**I'm a father. Again. **_

_**This time, it's a girl. Hinata and I named her Moka Kushina Namikaze. Come to think about it, Yukie's son was born several days after our son, the Spring Damiyo having married a ninja from Spring Village while he was working as her bodyguard. We joked that her son and our daughter could marry once they get older. While Minato becomes the Emperor, Moka would be the next Spring Damiyo. Wishful thinking.**_

_**As expected, when we announced Hinata's second pregnancy following the Unification Festival, another fight had broken out between the Imperial Council over the rights of being the kid's godparents. **_

_**You think that you could at least show some sort of maturity over something like this. Sigh.**_

_**Once Hinata was released from the hospital, we decided that two children would be more than enough. Good thing that Ino had started Hinata on some birth control. Minato will be the heir to my throne and Yukie's been talking about a marriage agreement between her son and Moka. Hinata and I talked about it and we came to a conclusion. When the kids grow older, we'll let them decide. **_

_**Entry 2:**_

_**Minato's three years old today. I swear, that kid grows like a weed. Right now, Moka is with her godparents. Hinata had convinced me to let Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi act as her godmother, while I chose Maru Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon as her uncles and aunt, respectively.**_

_**But that's not the most important thing that I'm writing about, surprisingly. **_

_**I've been getting more and more reports from Damiyo Todo about a well-organized group of bandits originating from the Lahja Region. Han has his hands tied with a second squad of highwaymen, so I sent Jiraiya and Tsunade to bust some heads and take down the bandits. **_

_**When they returned from their mission several days later, I was in for a shock. I know for a fact that both Granny and Pervy Sage are in their sixties, but now, they look thirty years younger. It wasn't a henge either, as Hinata had verified it. It was at that moment, they both gave me the story. **_

_**They had tracked down the highwaymen to their mountain stronghold and proceeded to wreck shop on the muscle. Once the bandits were all dead, they found a bottle of what they thought was sake, along with his journals. Deciding to celebrate on a job well done, they both split the fake sake. It was when they were halfway back with the scrolls containing the stolen goods and money, that they finally read the journal. **_

_**Aside the fact that the bandits were a sleeper cell of Oda remnants, the sake they thought they had drunk was in fact something that they had been working on in collaboration with the Jashin cult that I had eradicated in my Unification War. An de-aging elixir for Rokubungi Oda. Come to think about it, he was about Danzou's age when Yugito and I killed him. The elixir was the only one, as the ingredients and how to make the elixir was left to his memory, meaning that the know-how to make the elixir died with him when Tsunade knocked his head off.**_

_**De-aged thirty years, back in their prime when they were once teammates with the Snake. God help us all as to what kind of mayhem those two can cause.**_

_**Entry 3: **_

_**I was right about there being other Uzumaki other than myself and Yahiko. It was shortly after Minato's birthday that they started to come into the city. Bu the end of the week, over two hundred members of the Uzumaki clan were in Kimon City. Refugees that had scattered following the war which had all but leveled Whirlpool Village. With Yahiko as clan head (but answering to me, of course) I allowed them to establish a new village in the Unified West, with Yahiko himself as the head of the village.**_

_**Of course, that meant that both him and Yahiko would have to step down as members of the Elite Guard. They would still be on as reserve members, but anyone who is an active member has to reside in Kimon City. Where Yahiko was planning to resurrect Whirlpool was in the southernmost part of the Northern Region. Konan loved the southern part of the country and Yahiko decided that moving south would be good for the clan. **_

_**I gave them my blessings and allowed them to leave the Guards. Of course, that meant that I had to fill in two spaces, now that Yahiko and Konan are gone. At Hinata's suggestion, she nominated Neji Hyuuga and Sasuke Uchiha for the job. I had my concerns, but in the end, I decided to allow them to join up. If Sasuke is sincere about him seeking redemption, then serving as part of my guard will give him the chance he deserves. **_

_**If he tries to stab me in the back...then the Uchiha line will be extinct. **_

_**Entry 4:**_

_**Jiraiya's spy network in the East has sent in a communique in regards to the former Leaf Village. It's clear that Danzou is planning something big. Remnants of Orochimaru's Sound forces that had narrowly avoided being killed when the Oto-Kumo-Iwa alliance had self-destructed ave resurfaced and missing ninja originally in the Konoha Bingo Book have been seen in and around Konoha. **_

_**You think that the warhawk would get the hint and just lie down and die. But after my spies in Konoha (acting as monks on a journey to the reconstructed Fire Temple), managed to get some more information from several documents and 'interrogating' a suspicious ROOT ANBU that was trailing them, were my concerns verified. After all, no one would suspect a holy man from a backwoods country on a pilgrimage of being a spy. **_

_**Danzou is planning on initiating a Fourth Shinobi War. First, by invading neighboring countries and forcibly adding conquered ninja to their ranks, until they are large enough to launch an invasion of the Unified West. If that happens, there will be a major loss of life, mostly from my end. This, I cannot allow. I thought that once Konoha was stripped of its hidden village status, that the village would more than likely self-destruct. **_

_**Guess I was wrong this time. Danzou will not stop until I am gone. So now, I must prepare for Konoha's destruction...and my ultimate victory.**_

_**Kumo and Iwa have some beef with Danzou back when he was an active ninja. So I will use that to my advantage. I will be heading back east for an inspection tour of the Pekara Houses, so I will have a meeting with the leaders of Kumo, Iwa, and their respective damiyos. If I want to go to war against Danzou, then it will benefit me to have some insurance.**_

* * *

><p>Trading Outpost, near the Lightning Border...<p>

To call it a trading outpost would be an understatement. It was, in fact, a thriving town in neutral territory. The Unified West, and the damiyos of the countries which housed the most powerful of the shinobi villages had signed a non-aggression pact, which allowed the outpost to conduct its business unmolested. It was also one of the few places in which ninja from rival villages could visit and a bloodbath would not ensue.

The trading organizations which served the East and the United West's Pekara Merchant House were the chief members of the trading consortium. At the moment, Emperor Namikaze of the United West, along with the Tsuchikage of Iwa, Kurotsuchi and the new Raikage, a veteran by the name of Rokurou Kinoshita. Kinoshita was by far the oldest of the rulers, and Naruto remembered him as the one who had been sent to Suna when Kumo demanded his wife.

The designated rulers were inside a meeting room, while their bodyguards waited outside. Naruto sat at the head of the table, while the Lightning and Kumo envoy sat on the right side of the table, the Earth and Iwa envoy sat on his left.

"Here we are," Naruto began, the Unified West...Earth and Iwa..,Lightning and Kumo...I wouldn't have asked you four to come here if it wasn't important."

"So let's get to the brass tacks and dispense with the bull," Kinoshita barked. He did not forget the disrespect that this young upstart had given to him when he and his envoy had came to him back in Suna, but he **did** respect the son of Minato Namikaze for being the one who destroyed the Akatsuki, a feat that not even he himself could have done in his prime. But the Lightning Damiyo had made it clear that Naruto's wife was off limits. If Naruto could destroy the Akatsuki, then he could just as easily do the same with them.

"As you wish," Naruto replied. "I am here because we each have a problem: Konoha."

Kinoshita scoffed. "Your former village? The Fire Lord stripped it of its hidden village status. Why should we be worried about them? Maybe to you, but not to the Stone. Every time their ROOT shows up, Kumo fights them back to their borders."

"Konoha's power may have been stripped, but that does not make them any less dangerous," Naruto replied as he steepled his hands. "Even a cornered animal is most dangerous because it has nothing else to lose."

"That very much is true," Kurotsuchi said. "We've also had skirmishes with Shimura's ROOT ANBU on our border for the past year and a half. You are lucky that you have not been affected."

"Oh, but I have," Naruto replied. "In the past three months, I had to provide armed escorts to the Pekara caravans traveling through Fire Country. I had to order the merchants to give them a wide berth in the area surrounding Konoha. Jiraiya's spy network has been reporting that Oto remnants, as well as a sizable number of missing ninja from several villages – including those from Kumo and Iwa – are gathering in Konoha."

"So Shimura is gathering an army under the Fire Lord's nose," the Lightning Damiyo said, concerned. It was her Fire counterpart which had offered her and her family asylum when her husband was murdered by the Oto-backed regime. For that act of kindness from the Fire Lord, she and her family would be eternally greatful. "Does this mean that Konoha is planning for war?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes. I fear that with Konoha losing its status as a Shinobi village, Danzou has completely lost it. But he wasn't all there to begin with." He retrieved several documents from a scroll and passed them to the two sides. "My allies in Suna were chasing down a missing-nin when they came across a hidden base in what used to be Sound Country. I just received those documents shortly before leaving my home for here. Turns out that Orochimaru and Danzou were working together. The plan was for Danzou to use his ROOT ANBU to assassinate both the Godaime Hokage and the Shinobi council, then sue for peace with Orochimaru. Once the alliance between Orochimaru and Danzou was cemented, they would then assassinate the kages of Stone and Lightning and combine their forces into one massive army."

"They were both planning on starting another Shinobi War," Kinoshita said as he read the incriminating documents. Unknown to the two ninjas and the damiyos, the documents were doctored fakes. Kitami herself had designed them using her own genjutsu to make them look like correspondence between the snake and the warhawk, making it look like the real thing. "The blood and the motive, here in writing. If this was signed in snake venom, I would not be surprised."

Naruto nodded. "First by invading Wave...then Water Country and subjugating its ninja forces. The same thing would follow in Suna...Waterfall...until they would turn their sights to the Unified West. My home."

Kurotsuchi set the documents on the table. "What are you proposing?" she asked.

"Danzou is planning to finish what Orochimaru has started," Naruto continued. "If he wages war here, he will destabilize the region. Not only will you respective countries and shinobi villages will be threatened, but once his forces are big enough, he will invade the Unified West, and destabilize the region that I've worked so hard to bring peace to. What I'm proposing is simple. We invade and crush Konoha once and for all. We destroy Shimura and his army and burn the village to the ground."

"An enticing offer," Kinoshita said. "But what do we benefit in teaming up with you?"

"Last time I checked, the Hyuuga are still in Konoha," Naruto replied. "All of them Main Branch. Including Hanabi Hyuuga."

Kinoshita immediately caught on as to what Naruto was suggesting. After whispering an exchange with the Lightning Damiyo, Kinoshita came to a decision. "Kumogakure no Sato will commit but only if we can obtain the Bykaugan."

"So long as it's not my wife or the Western Hyuuga, I don't care what you do. Are we in agreement?"

Kinoshita nodded. "The Damiyo of Lightning Country agrees to your terms. You have Kumogakure no Sato in your corner."

"And what does Iwa get in return in exchange for this triple alliance?" Kurotsuchi asked.

"The heads of all of the missing ninja will bring in a nice bounty for Iwa," Naruto said. "All of the missing ninja are A-rank and higher, and will earn Iwa some serious coin."

This time around, a two-person conference was between the Tsuchikage and the Earth Damiyo. After a moment, they came to an agreement. "Okay, Lord Namikaze. You got yourself a deal."

"But...what do you get out of this?" Kinoshita asked. "You're handing over the Hyuuga to us and the missing-nin to Iwa on silver platters. How do we know that you won't try the same thing that Danzou is planning on doing? You have a military alliance with Suna, and we have seen a fraction of the United West's strength when you along with Gaara crushed the Akatsuki. You can just as easily roll over the Elemental Countries and absorb them into your Empire."

"If I was a bloodthirsty tyrant, I would have done it already," Naruto replied. "But I have no intention of invading the East. Gaara and Suna have a military and trading alliance with the Unified West, not to mention that Gaara is a close friend of mine from when I was a genin. The people of Wave showed kindness to me, Damiyo Fujikaze is the godmother to my eldest son, and Zabuza still has connections in Mist. I am very content with what I have back west. To answer your question about what do I get out of it...the satisfaction of seeing Konoha burn to the ground. Payback for twelve years' worth of hell."

The Damiyos of Earth and Lightning, as well as the two kages knew of Naruto's background as the jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails. It was a miracle in itself that Naruto had not unleashed hell upon the Leaf for all of the trauma they had put him through. If anything, they respected Naruto a lot more. Not because that he was a wise ruler, but the fact that they were still alive because he showed no interest of invading.

* * *

><p>[Naruto's Journal]<p>

_**Entry 5:**_

_**With the forces of Stone and Lightning in my corner, I had to sell my idea to the Fire Damiyo. He was easy to convince, once I laid out all of my evidence of Danzou's motives. He agreed that Konoha was a threat and gave me the authorization to invade and destroy Konoha, as well as the authorization for Danzou's termination. **_

_**Returning to Kimon City by way of the Demon's Gate, I called for a meeting of the council, and told them of my intentions. They all agreed that Danzou was a threat, and that he had to be eliminated. So I activated the Demon Brigade and the Hellcats, as well as a sizable number of ninja and samurai to even the playing field. I even brought in Konan and Yahiko for the fun. Even Kakashi, Rock Lee, Maito Gai, Jiraiya and Tsunade volunteered. Kitami also decided to come, since I promised her that she could burn the village to the ground.**_

_**Hinata wanted to come, but I refused. She may be the Empress, but she was also a mother. I could not let our children grow up as orphans. Grudgingly, Hinata had agreed to remain behind. I used the Demon's Gate to transport myself, the Elite Guards, Kitami, the Demon Unit and the Hellcats to the trading post, and waited for Kumo and Iwa to show up. **_

_**Kumo, since they were the closest, arrived shortly after I did, while Iwa arrived two days later. Our combined forces were about six hundred to Danzou's fifteen hundred ninja. **_

_**But as always, I have a plan. Gotta close out now. It's time.**_

_**Entry 6: **_

_**The battle is over. Konohagakure is in our hands. The majority of the ROOT ANBU have been decimated. Only a small pocket of resistance remains as Zabuza and Yugito invade the underground headquarters where Danzou his holed up. **_

_**One advantage I have over Danzou is despite being decades younger, I have experience in fighting wars. Despite our triple alliance, we were still outnumbered 3-to-1. But I quickly negated those numbers with the use of exploding clones, which decimated the majority of Danzou's forces. **_

_**Then I used another batch of exploding clones to destroy the gates and we came charging in. I made my intentions clear as I saw Danzou with his lapdog Sai.**_

"_**Danzou! The Kyuubi brat has returned! I bring the destruction of Konoha!"**_

_**With those words, the Invasion of Konoha has begun. **_

_**The ROOT ANBU were the major threat, as was Mizuki. Danzou sent him after me, along with Sakura. I had activated the Fox Eye and used it to cut down the ANBU with Rasenshurikens and Exploding Kage Bushins. With Kakashi and Sasuke backing me up, we unleashed hell until we caught up with Mizuki and Sakura. I guess one can say that it was a reunion of sorts – Cell Seven back together again. Only this time, I was leading the assault with Hatake and the Uchiha backing me up, and Sakura – now a member of ROOT – and Mizuki leading the defense of Konoha.**_

_**I sent Sasuke and Hatake to 'catch up' with the banshee, while I dealt with Mizuki. This white-haired freak was responsible for several murders of Pekara Merchants and Imperial civilians who were on their way to Wave and Spring. Regrettably, one of those murders was that of Makie Asahina. It was time for Mizuki to answer for his crimes. **_

_**The battle had taken place in Training Ground No.44 – the Forest of Death. As expected, the hungry critters roamed the area, watching as our battle had taken place. Mizuki was a master of jutsu that kept me on my toes, as well as having a modified Cursed Seal which transformed him into a bipedal, tigerlike form, giving him a boost in strength and agility. The battle between myself and Mizuki raged from the Forest of Death, the animals not daring to interfere, as they wanted to see which one of us will fall before moving in.**_

_**I knew that Mizuki would not fall for the same trick twice when I kicked his ass the first time. As I've said before, I still live up to the title of being unpredictable, and that I still have some tricks of my own that I have not revealed. Mizuki was complacent in his superiority, thinking that he had the upper hand. **_

_**But after I used the Hirashin to get behind him, I flung two Rasenshuriken at him. Mizuki turned around, assuming that the attacks did nothing to harm him, until I told him those four magic words. **_

"_**You are already dead." **_

_**At that, Mizuki fell to the ground in several bloody pieces. I turned from the sight and left the area, just as the oversized critters moved in for the feast. **_

_**Turns out that there was a witness in that battle. Sakura had given Kakashi and Sasuke the slip and was preparing to attack me from behind with her katana. That was when I heard the familiar sound of birds chirping, followed by Sakura's scream. I spun around, and saw Sasuke pulling his hand back, having executed the Chidori on Sakura. The assassination jutsu had obliterated her lung and damaged her heart. **_

"_**I'm sorry it had to be this way, Sakura," Sasuke had said with genuine regret as Sakura turned to face him. I could pretty much bet that she was looking at her one-time crush with a combination of betrayal and disbelief before falling over. I learned that Sakura had injured Kakashi, and that he was out of the fight. Sasuke had barely managed to stop Sakura from getting the jump on me. Looks like the Uchiha was sincere about his redemption after all. But I'm getting ahead of myself. **_

_**Aside from Kakashi, Asuma Sarutobi and Maito Gai was also out of action, due to injury. But they would both survive. Asuma, however, would not be an active ninja again, due to the severity of his own injuries. Tragically, the Raikage, Rokurou Kinoshita was killed in action, as were ninja from my forces, Iwa and Kumo.**_

_**With the majority of the ROOT dead and the Oto Remanats crushed, the surviving missing ninja decided that It would be best that they surrender. Iwa got what they wanted, the remaining missing-ninja were restrained and taken out of Konoha. With their objective complete, Iwa withdrew from the field. **_

_**As for Kumo, something unexpected. Hiashi Hyuuga and the Hyuuga Council were found slaughtered inside the Hyuuga Compound. As it turned out, Hanabi was against her father's wishes to continue the fight when it became evident that Konoha was finished. Which led to Hanabi seizing control of the Hyuuga from her crippled father and the council. **_

_**Once she had killed Hiashi and the elders, the other Main Branch Hyuuga had no problem in seeing that Hanabi was in charge. When the Kumo ninja invaded the Hyuuga Compound they were surprised to see that Hanabi was now clan head. Seeing that fighting off Kumo would be futile, Hanabi had decided to surrender the Hyuuga to Kumo. For the duration of the invasion, the Hyuuga would be under heavy guard. Once the battle was over, the majority of them were executed, and Hanabi and ten Hyuuga – most of them female – were taken back to Kumo. With the remaining Hyuuga in their possession, Kumo returned home.**_

_**As for myself, I received word from Haku. Danzou has been captured, the last of his ROOT now dead. With Danzou in custody, the invasion is officially over. Since this town is doomed anyway, I ordered it to be stripped of any useful items from cash to jutsu, of which plenty was left behind. The Konoha hospital was transformed into a triage center as Tsunade, Ino, Shizune and the Yamada clan treated the injured. Once the injured were safely back home, I sent the Imperial forces back to Kimon, leaving only myself, Zabuza, Yugito, Kitami, Jiraiya and Tsunade.**_

_**Once the village was cleared of people, I moved out to a hillside area about ten miles out, where I had a excellent view of Konoha. I want Danzou to see the destruction of his beloved village before I execute him for crimes against the Unified West.**_

* * *

><p>Outskirts of Konoha, Fire Country – night.<p>

Kitami, Zabuza and Yugito emerged from the village, bloodied and bruised, but alive. The ROOT ANBU had made their final stand inside the underground headquarters, but they were no match for the battle-hardened Imperial Forces, Sai being the last to fall.

With them, his Sharingan ripped from his skull and his arm containing the ten Sharingan ripped from his body, the wound cauterized so that he would not bleed to death, was Danzou Shimura.

Naruto had set up a forward operations base ten miles out from Konoha. The temporary base was set upon a hill with an excellent view of the village. Minutes later, the last surviving member of Konoha was at Naruto's feet. The victorious Emperor looked down on his defeated foe, his expression grim.

"You couldn't just leave me in peace, Shimura," Naruto snapped. "You tried to initiate a shinobi war out of pure spite. Now look at you. Your army is destroyed. Kumo has the Hyuuga and Iwa has your missing ninja. My forces have wiped out what remained of your ROOT. You are the last one."

In the face of his demise, Danzou was defiant. "You little brat. You don't deserve to be the Emperor of the West! That title should have been mine! Your armies should have been mine! I would have conquered the East and brought it under the control of the Leaf!"

That earned him a kick to the head from Naruto, causing the crippled warhawk to fall over. "I was hoping that you would be begging for your miserable life," the Emperor replied as Zabuza hauled him upright. "You are the last one alive, Shimura. Don't think I've forgotten that you were the mastermind behind my banishment. All of this, from what had happened when I was kicked out to this very moment...it is your mess. Your responsibility. In trying to make Konoha stronger, you sealed its fate."

"I should have killed you myself when I had the chance!" Danzou snarled. "Saturobi should not have let you live!"

"Shame," Naruto replied. "Sarutobi respected you once upon a time. But you got arrogant. You tried to make me into a weapon. When Sarutobi blocked you, you had me banished. But, life goes on. I will return home to Kimon City, where my wife and my children are waiting for me. You will not live to see the end of this day. In war, there are winners...and losers. I'm cashing you out, Danzou. But the last thing you will see will be the Nine-Tails destroying Konoha once and for all."

Turning to Kitami, he simply said, "Do it."

Giving Naruto a feral grin, Kitami vanished in a geyser of flame. Zabuza turned Danzou around to face Konoha, while Yugito tapped a pressure point on the back of his neck. The pressure point worked on his eye, keeping it open despite Danzou's feeble attempts to close it.

Kitami then reappeared. Now in her fox form, which was bigger than the destroyed Hokage Monument, Kitami began to finish what she had started over two decades ago, decimating all in her path. As the former shinobi village was awash in a sea of flames, Naruto, his Elite Guards, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Yugito and Zabuza watched as the Kyuubi no Kitsune let out a roar and with one massive swing of her tails, decimated what was the Hokage Mountain.

Danzou watched, unable to turn away. The defeated warhawk could not help but to feel sadness as he watched the Kyuubi no Kitsune raze what was once the strongest of the shinobi villages.

Then he heard Naruto whisper into his ear. "By the way...I lied to Kumo and Iwa to get them on my side by saying you worked with Orochimaru. Take that to your grave."

Before Danzou could say "What?" Naruto had moved out of the way and Zabuza stepped forward, oversized sword in one hand. With one swing, the last of Konoha's ninja was dead, his head liberated from his body.

"Leave Danzou's body here," Naruto ordered as Danzou's corpse fell over. "Let the critters of the forest have him for dinner."

Once Kitami returned to them in her human form, Konoha was in flames, its gates and village walls having been torn down by her tails, the mountain leveled and collapsed into a giant heap. The fires of Konoha were seen for miles, and would burn all night. Come morning, what used to be Konohagakure no Sato, once the strongest of the Shinobi villages until its own arrogance proved to be its downfall, was a smoking crater.

People would come to avoid the ruins, saying that they were cursed. Even the animals who used to live there had moved on to other parts of Fire Country.

His job finished, Naruto summoned the Demon's Gate and in a flash, were back in Kimon City. He dismissed the guards, Kitami, Zabuza, Yugito and the two sages and returned to the Imperial Palace, where Hinata and their two children were waiting for him.

With Konoha destroyed and Danzou finally dead, he could breathe a lot easier, and look to the future.


	15. Epilogue: Versions A and B

_**Epilogue – Version A**_

Snafu's Notes: Well, this is it. The Epilogue, or in some cases, the coda to Rise of the Emperor. There's two versions of the Epilogue, one called Version A, the other called Version B. The first is the official ending, while the other can be called an omake, or a twist (or a true ending), depending on your point of view. Version B was inspired by EroSlackerMicha. The Epilogue is short, so you have been warned.

[Excerpt from 'History of the Unified West.']

_**The Namikaze Dynasty would continue to rule the Unified West for many generations. Like the founder of the dynasty, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze and his wife, Hinata Namikaze, the Emperors and their wives governed the people with a fair and just hand, refusing to surrender to the vices that had claimed so many other rulers. The values passed on from parent to child – selflessness, compassion, honor – guided the Namikaze Dynasty through countless trials, tragedies and triumphs. **_

_**Naruto Namikaze, banished from his original home, and have risen to prominence – first as a warlord, then the ruler – would rule as Emperor for twenty-five years alongside his wife before they decided to step down from their place as Emperor and Empress of the United West. Minato Namikaze and his wife, Makoto Namikaze – formerly a Suna Jounin – to take the throne as the second Emperor and Empress Consort of the Unified West. Like his father, Minato would show that he had been trained well. He would rule the Unified West under a fair and just hand, being a lover of truth and justice.**_

_**Despite not being in line for the throne, Moka Namikaze became the Damiyo of Spring Country. A talented healer and fighter, Moka was named the Fourth Fox Sage by her mother and Kitami Akashiya. Seeing as how she had a talent for acting and singing, Koyuki Kazahana – known by her stage name of Yukie Fujikaze – had taken Moka under her tutelage. By the time her elder brother had ascended the throne, Moka Namikaze Kazahana – having married Yukie's son Rajin Kazahana – was not only an accomplished warrior, entertainer and healer, but she would go on to rule Spring Country as its Damiyo, Rajin would command Spring Village as its kage.**_

_**Naruto and Hinata Namikaze would become known as 'Father and Mother of the Empire,' a title bestowed upon them in Naruto's sixteenth year as Emperor of the Unified West. It was also in this year, that the Emperor and Empress Consort would face their greatest challenge yet. **_

_**An army of missing-nin from the East, led by Hanabi Hyuuga. During the Imperial-Kumo-Iwa Invasion of Konohagakure, Hanabi Hyuuga, who was the sister to the Empress Consort opted to surrender to Kumo, but not before assassinating her father, clan head Hiashi Hyuuga and the council of elders. Hanabi had worked her way up the ranks by either seducing or assassinating the competition. Now, with an army of missing ninja under her command, she made her intentions clear. Her motives were based solely on revenge.**_

_**During this time, the Emperor had allowed the Uzumaki Clan that had been revived under his banner to return to Whirlpool Country to reestablish both the country and its shinobi village. Led by Godaime Uzukage Yahiko Uzumaki, Whirlpool Country was under the jurisdiction of the Unified West. Hanabi decided to target that while at the same time, attempt to kidnap Minato and Moka while the pair were attending a tournament in Tea Country.**_

_**The kidnapping failed, and the Emperor and Empress Consort personally intervened. The Imperial Defense Forces took to the field in Whirlpool Country. Hinata had slain her former sister, and the Imperial forces under the command of Naruto and Minato Namikaze decimated the army of missing-nins. With the ascension of Minato Namikaze, the exploits of his father and mother became legend. Naruto and Hinata Namikaze would go on to leave a series of instructions to their successors on how to rule. These instructions were mandatory reading for all heirs to the throne. What was said is now lost to history, but for all purposes, the advice was followed. **_

**_The Namikaze Dynasty would rule until the end of the Shinobi Age. No one knows the whereabouts of their descendants, but one thing is for certain. Their exploits will not be forgotten, as they are recorded in the annals of history. Their descendants have not died out, as they are still alive to this very day, unaware of the legacy that they contain. But as with all legends and tales, it is just waiting to be discovered._**

**Epilogue – Version B**

"'The Namikaze Dynasty would rule until the end of the Shinobi Age. No one knows the whereabouts of their descendants, but one thing is for certain. Their exploits will not be forgotten, as they are recorded in the annals of history.'"

The speaker was a woman in her late twenties, early thirties. Her audience was a archeology class in Tokyo University. The woman was very voluptuous, her figure showing from her business suit and skirt combination, the pair of black heels on her feet. Short dark hair framed her face, the bangs covering one eye (ala Rosemary's MGS4 hairdo). Her uncovered lavender eye with pupil scanned the captivated audience.

"'Their descendants have not died out, as they are still alive to this very day, unaware of the legacy that they contain. But as with all legends and tales, it is just waiting to be discovered,'" she said as she closed the book from which she was reading from.

One of her students raised her hand. The professor acknowledged it with a nod. "Yes, Miyabi?"

A freshman student asked her question. "Professor Kujikawa, what happened to the refugees from Konoha? Did Emperor Namikaze make his peace with the Uchiha and Captain Hatake?"

The professor, one Mayumi Kujikawa, nodded. "He did. He made his peace with the Uchiha shortly after the refugees arrived in Kimon City. Hatake was a bit harder due to his favortism. But the Emperor was not a cold man. Stubborn, but he could not deny their redemption. As for the others...they married, had children to continue their family line...some of them died out, while others are like the Namikaze – still around to the present day."

A second student raised her hand. "Professor, how do you know so much about this subject?"

Kujikawa smiled. "I've been into ancient history for as long as I can remember. It's a passion of mine." She raised the book, which was titled **History of the Unified West**. The book itself was authored by both herself and her husband, who was a famous writer and lecturer of literature. Most people could not agree if it was fact or fiction. But what they did agree on was that it was a very good read.

"The ninja system in both East and West could not escape the changing times, and ended up collapsing," Kujikawa continued, "but the Namikaze Dynasty continued to rule, as they too changed with the times. In the end, it was not an uprising of the people that had brought the Namikaze Clan to ruin."

"So what was it?" Miyabi asked.

"Nature," Kujikawa replied. "Mother Nature herself. The Lahja Mountains were always a volatile region, but in the rein of the last Emperor, Naruto XII Namikaze, the Lahja Mountains erupted, which triggered a massive earthquake. Days later, the Unified West was engulfed in a tsunami, the land sinking into the ocean."

Kujikawa remembered that even all too well. Both her and her husband had assisted in the evacuation of the Imperial Capital, knowing well that the days of the Unified West were numbered. Aside from that, they also pilfered the Namikaze vaults underneath the Imperial Palace using several storage scrolls to seal up the chests of gold, but leaving more than enough cash to their clan, so that they can rebuild once again. They also took family heirlooms, jutsu scrolls and weapons that had been collected over the years.

The reason being? Mayumi Kujikawa was just an alias. One of many in her long life. Her birth name was Hinata Hyuuga, now Hinata Namikaze.

Before another student could ask a question, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. But more importantly, the end of the day. It was time to go home. As the students piled out of the classroom, Hinata sat down in a chair and took a moment to reflect. Her hand rubbed absently on the mark where Naruto had bit her on their wedding night. It was shortly thereafter that Kitami had taken both Naruto and Hinata to the side and explain the totality of the mark.

"As the both of you are mated, you will have fringe benefits. One of which is a long life. The Uzumaki were known for their long lifespans. When the both of you marked each other, that lifespan has increased a thousand fold."

Kitami. Last she heard, the Nine-Tails ran a curio shop in Hokkaido.

They had not aged a day over thirty, resorting to using henges to make themselves look older, or in some cases, relocate to a different area entirely. This was the seventh time that Naruto and Hinata were back in Japan, the last place they spent thirty years in was in Hong Kong, where their descendants from Moka's bloodline resided. Minato's bloodline resided in Japan, and one of them were in Hinata's class.

Of course, aside from Moka and Minato, Naruto and Hinata had countless children over the years. Some of their lines still existed, while others were extinct. Their daughter, Yumi, was a student in elementary school, a recent addition to the Namikaze bloodline. Over the thousands of years, Naruto and Hinata had many occupations from assassin to damiyo to shogun to businessman. It was only recently that Naruto decided to write his memoirs, of which Hinata had been reading to the class.

As for the other Jinchuuriki, they were still alive as well. Utakata, they had left while he was in Hong Kong. Roshi and Han were in Okinawa, Yugito had settled in Seoul, Gaara made his home in the Mojave Desert, posing as an insane survivalist, Bee was somewhere in South America, and Fu made her home in England.

Gathering her things and placing them into a shoulder bag, Hinata had decided that she had spent enough time walking down Memory Lane. Her husband was waiting for her.

* * *

><p>Tokyo University – Campus<p>

He stood in the midst of the students as they walked past him. Six feet tall, with undisciplined reddish hair (ala Chris' RE5 hairdo), blue eyes, his muscular frame hidden underneath the black longcoat and dark business suit. It was winter and the Christmas holidays had just begun. The cold had never really bothered him, being a former Jinchuuriki.

He was known as Takeshi Kujikawa to most people. A respected professor of literature here at Todai, as well as an accomplished writer. But to a select few, he was Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze.

Naruto didn't have to wait long for his wife to make her presence known. Bundled up in her own overcoat and scarf, shoulder bag slung over one shoulder, Hinata Namikaze approached her husband with a smile on her face. "Been waiting long, love?"

"Nah. Just got here, Hime. Ready?" he asked, extending his arm out.

Hinata responded by slipping her arm through Naruto's own. The couple then walked off, until they were just another couple heading home for the holidays. Maybe one day, the Emperor will rise once again to lead, but now, he was just a family man ready to spend the holidays with his wife and daughter.

The legacy of the Namikaze Clan will continue.

**END.**

Snafu's Notes: With that, Rise of the Emperor is officially complete. Took me less than two months to complete this story, and I am happy to see that it has been received with such praise. I wish Evangelion Gear, Pride Comes Before The Fall and several others would have received so many reviews, but oh well. With this complete, I can resume work on Resident Evil: A Change In Pace and several other pieces of fanfiction that I've placed on hold.

This is Snafu the Great, signing off.


	16. Snafu's Thoughts

Snafu's Thoughts.

Seeing as how I first got my start writing lemon fanfiction after reading some from the Sakura Lemon Fanfiction Archive over a decade earlier, I do have some serious gripes about the crackdown on the M-rating stories, seeing as how I myself was affected, as a couple of my fanfics were removed without me unable to re-edit them (Thank God for backups!).

I agree with some of my fellow writers on several things; the stories in which the fanfics are based off of, be it anime, manga, videogames and the like, are indeed violent (some, if not all), so violence is expected in our fanfics should the occassion call for it. I am also supporting the reestablishment of the MA rating for the more violent and lemon fanfics, but it should be done responsibly and done right.

I, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that (I believe) violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in its original form, this is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be losing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

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